JUDGE  HORTON 


eouoffHT  TMon 

Laerninle   Donation 


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DRIFTWOOD 
OF  THE  STAGE 


..  BY  .. 


Judge  Horton, 


>  J  ^ .  '> , ' » , 


ILLUSTRATED, 


DETROIT,  MICH. 

Press  of  Winn  &  Hammond 

1904 


Copyright,  1904 
By  William  E.  Horton. 


.    All  rights  reservecL 


^?^\¥t^t^M  Fi^'tf^K^X^ 


Half-tone  cuts  by 
Van  Leyen  &  Hensler 


To  My  Friend, 

Elihu  B.  Washburne, 


PREFACE. 


In  placing  this  book  before  the  pubUc,  the 
aim  has  been  to  introduce  subjects  calculated  to 
impart  a  greater  interest  to  its  pages  than  if 
the  contents  were  confined  to  dry  statistics  and 
details  of  the  doings  of  those  connected  with 
the  stage. 

The  book,  as  its  name  implies,  is  a  series  of 
chapters  of  "Driftwood  of  the  Stage,"  not 
confining  itself  to  any  one  branch  of  the  pro- 
fession, but  giving  place  to  the  circus,  min- 
strelsy, music  and  the  vaudevilles.  The  greatest 
care  has  been  taken  to  verify  all  the  facts 
(many  of  them  here  presented  for  the  first 
time)  in  order  that  it  may  find  favor  with  the 
dramatic  collector  as  well  as  with  those  who 
are  glad  to  be  known  as  old  playgoers. 

Much  herein  contained  rests  upon  an  intimate 
personal  knowledge  of  the  subject,  gained 
through  many  years  of  private  friendship  and 
business  association  with  the  profession  in 
general . 


fa 


M31967 


6  Preface, 

In  these  reminiscences  the  endeavor  has  been 
to  be  correct,  and  if  there  is  a  difference  from 
others  on  some  points  it  is  because  romance  has 
been  sacrificed  to  historical  accuracy.  Very 
often  the  wreath  of  laurel  has  been  placed  on 
the  brows  of  triumphant  leaders  and  often  it 
has  occurred  that  they  have  attracted  to  them- 
selves the  credit  and  glory  which  justly  be- 
longed to  others.  In  mentioning  the  more 
prominent  people  in  theatrical  life,  those  who 
occupied  more  humble  positions  have  not  been 
forgotten. 


CONTENTS. 


Page 

The  Struggle  for  Fame ii 

"The  Little  Church  Around  the  Corner" 23 

A  Glance  at  Vaudeville  34 

The  Origin  of  the  Elks  46 

Importance  of  Detail    58 

Farewells  in  "Richelieu" 69 

Sawdust  and  Spangles  80 

Superstition  and  Slang 92 

Graves  of  the  Players   103 

Historic  Playhouses    116 

Notable  Testimonials    129 

Church  and  Stage    142 

Songs  of  Other  Days   154 

At    Rest    166 

The  Melancholy  Dane   178 

James  Fisk,  Jr.,  in  Theatricals 191 

The  One-Night   Stand 202 

The  Cruel  Hiss   214 


Contents, 


Story  of  John  Wilkes   Booth 226 

The  Last  Appearance  236 

Old-Time  Minstrels    248 

A  Bit  of  History 260 

The  "Shakedown"   271 

At  Home  and  Abroad  283 

Patriotism  of  Stage  Folks  296 

The  Actor  and  the  Actors'  Fund  308 

Burning  of  the  Brooklyn  Theater 320 

In  Fond  Memory 333 

In  Positions  of  Honor  and  Trust  346 

Incident  and  Story   358 


PORTRAITS. 


Facing  Page 

Louis  James  i8 

Mrs.  Fiske   38 

Edward  H.   Sothern   56 

Julia    Marlowe    74 

James  K.  Hackett   92 

Maude   Adams    no 

Charles  Richman 128 

Viola   Allen    146 

Henry  B.  Harris 166 

Charles   J.   Ross— Mabel    Fenton 184 

Alice  Fischer  202 

George  W.  Wilson    220 

Isabel  Irving    238 

Robert  Edeson    256 

Ethel  Barrymore 274 

Ezra    Kendall    292 

Chrystal    Heme     310 

George  M.   Cohan   328 

Florence  Reed  356 


THE  STRUGGLE  FOR  FAME. 


Actors  advance  various  reasons  as  to  the  im- 
pulses which  led  to  their  adopting  the  stage  as  a 
career.  Some  lay  the  responsibility  at  the  door 
of  our  old  friend  Divine  Spark.  Others,  mostly 
of  the  feminine  gender,  own  in  rare  moments 
of  confidence  to  the  soft  impeachment  of  vanity. 
Ambition  to  win  the  plaudits  of  the  public,  to 
lead  the  life  erroneously  conceived  to  be  spent  in 
the  lap  of  luxury,  to  satisfy  the  cravings  of 
artistic  temperament,  to  verify  the  prophecies  of 
the  amateur  stage,  to  fulfill  the  promptings  of 
heredity,  and  in  many  instances  to  earn  a  liveli- 
hood in  a  congenial  occupation. 

To  some  there  would  seem  to  be  no  life  harder 
than  that  of  the  struggling  actor  or  actress  who 
wanders  through  the  country  clinging  to  a  career 


12  Driftwood  of  the  Stage. 

fraught  with  so  many  trials,  discomforts,  and 
disappointments.  Yet  there  are  thousands  of 
men  and  women  doing  it.  It  is  ambition,  hope ! 
It  is  to  win  a  prize  that  falls  to  but  a  score  in  a 
century,  perhaps,  and  yet  everybody  expects  to 
;be.of  th^.  scori?.  Did  not  quite  all  of  the  illus- 
tripij^  histrion3  begin  as  humble  and  skirmish 
^alofig  the  same  lines?  Edwin  Forrest,  Stuart 
JR-obson,  Frank  Mayo,  Sol  Smith  Russell,  James 
A.  Heme,  and  the  others  of  the  few  famous 
ones,  endured  the  struggle  and  reaped  the  re- 
w^ard.  Why,  then,  should  not  all  of  them  believe 
in  their  hopes,  and  refuse  to  be  dissuaded  from 
their  purpose? 

Is  there  any  prize  open  to  the  ordinary  person 
starting  out  without  money  or  prestige  as  glit- 
tering as  that  achieved  by  some  of  these  player 
folks?  When  they  first  went  out  in  search  of 
the  fame  they  afterward  attained,  did  any  but 
themselves  believe  in  their  securing  it?  Doubt- 
less many  times  each  was  told  he  could  not  act, 
and  many  times  eagerly  scanned  the  papers  in 
hopes  of  an  encouraging  word,  but  found  he  was 
ignored  or  mercilessly  criticised.  But  if  by 
chance  he  did  find  a  favorable  mention  hope 
rose,  and  a  waning  faith  was  fortified. 

The  rush  for  place  and  fame  in  the  theater  has 


Driftwood  of  the  Stage.  1 3 

become  a  madness.  In  a  vast  majority  of  cases 
the  beginning  is  practically  the  end  of  a  stage 
career.  The  top  is  a  very  circumscribed  place, 
and  only  the  favored  few  can  gain  or  keep  a 
footing  there.  The  rest  must  experience  misery 
and  heartbreak  in  a  greater  degree  than  in  any 
other  occupation.  The  reasons  for  this  are 
many,  but  it  is  not  important  to  name  them. 
The  fact  is  enough. 

Prominence  in  the  theatrical  world  can  only 
be  attained  by  strict  attention  to  business  and 
hard  work.  No  matter  how  humble  the  start, 
true  merit  is  sure  to  be  recognized. 

What  better  proof  is  needed  than  the  fact  that 
James  O'Neill  first  appeared  on  the  stage  at  the 
National  Theater,  Cincinnati,  where  he  sup- 
ported Edwin  Forrest  by  carrying  a  spear,  and 
the  first  lines  he  spoke  was  in  the  modest  ca- 
pacity of  a  wedding  guest?  It  is  not  so  many 
years  ago  that  David  Warfield  was  an  usher 
in  a  San  Francisco  theater.  By  some  means 
he  found  the  stage  door  and  began  a  career, 
which  by  close  attention  to  business,  at  times 
mingling  with  the  class  of  people  he  was  to  por- 
tray on  the  stage,  studying  their  habits,  char- 
acter and  dress,  as  well  perfecting  himself  in 
their  dialects,  placed  him  among  the  country's 


14  Driftwood  of  the  Stage. 

famous  character  actors.  Charles  Dickson  is 
another  example  of  what  is  necessary  to  make 
a  successful  actor.  Beginning  as  a  clacquer  at 
Niblo's  Garden,  New  York,  in  the  days  when 
such  spectacles  as  "The  Black  Crook,"  "The 
White  Fawn,"  and  others  of  that  class  held  the 
boards,  and  the  house  supported  a  corps  of 
clacquers  who  were  distributed  among  the  audi- 
ence to  start  the  applause  at  the  proper  time,  he 
too  found  his  way  back  of  the  curtain,  and 
passed  through  all  the  grades  from  supernumer- 
ary to  star. 

Robert  Edeson  is  the  son  of  George  R.  Ede- 
son,  an  actor  long  held  in  enviable  regard  by 
the  public,  but  with  his  knowledge  gained  by 
experience  of  the  difficulties  attendant  on  an 
actor's  life  he  hoped  to  dissuade  his  son  from 
entering  so  hazardous  a  field  of  endeavor.  As 
a  youth,  Mr.  Edeson  heeded  the  parental  coun- 
sel to  the  extent  of  confining  his  talents  to  the 
box  office. 

It  was  in  1887,  while  employed  in  the  ca- 
pacity of  treasurer  at  the  Park  Theater,  Brook- 
lyn, that  he  unexpectedly  found  himself  trans- 
ferred to  the  stage.  Colonel  Sinn,  the  lessee 
of  the  theater,  was  introducing  a  new  play  called 
"Fascination,"  in  which  Cora  Tanner  was  the 


Driftwood  of  the  Stage.  1 5 

star.  During  the  rehearsals  on  the  Friday  pre- 
vious to  the  production,  Colonel  Sinn  received 
word  that  one  of  the  minor  players  of  the  com- 
pany had  been  taken  ill.  Mr.  Edeson  offered  his 
services,  was  relieved  from  his  office  duties,  and 
played  the  part  on  the  following  Monday  night. 

Everyone  in  this  country  who  tries  to  keep 
within  speaking  distance  of  the  stage  and  the- 
atrical biography  knows  something  of  Ezra 
Kendall.  Indeed,  a  great  many  fine  and  com- 
mendatory things  could  be  said  of  this  unique 
and  sterling  comedian.  A  brief  story  of  his 
stage  career  shows  an  humble  beginning,  much 
hard  work,  many  trials  and  disappointments, 
and  finally  success. 

His  stage  experience  dates  back  to  school  ex- 
hibitions in  the  town  hall,  when  his  recitation 
of  "How  Cyrus  Laid  the  Cable,"  won  him  some 
local  newspaper  advice  to  become  an  actor  or 
a  lawyer.  He  knew  that  a  lawyer  had  to  be 
both,  and  as  he  did  not  have  confidence  enough 
to  undertake  too  much,  he  chose  the  stage.  After 
first  learning  a  trade,  he  ventured  out  profes- 
sionally, and  with  the  assistance  of  his  trade 
managed  to  get  home.  This  occurred  several 
times  in  his  first  season.  Mr.  Kendall  has 
been    property    man,    actor,  author,  star,  and 


1 6  Driftwood  of  the  Stage. 

has  fought  every  step  of  the  way  to  the  place 
he  now  holds. 

Theodore  Thomas  played  the  violin  at  the 
Broadway  Theater,  New  York,  for  nine  dol- 
lars a  week,  and  Maurice  Levi  was  the  pianist 
in  a  vaudeville  house  at  Baltimore,  at  a  salary 
that  was  even  smaller.  These  gentlemen  were 
not  afraid  of  hard  work,  and  who  have  been 
more  successful  than  they? 

Others  also  began  at  the  bottom  of  the  lad- 
der. Louis  James  began  his  theatrical  career  in 
January,  1864,  in  the  Macauley  stock  company 
at  Louisville,  Ky.,  as  a  peasant  in  ''Rachael, 
the  Reaper."  The  first  part  of  importance 
he  was  intrusted  with  was  that  of  Matthew 
Leigh,  in  "Rosedale."  Nat  C.  Goodwin  made 
his  first  appearance  on  the  stage  at  the  How- 
ard Athenaeum,  Boston,  in  the  spring  of  1874, 
in  a  play  called  "Law  in  New  York,"  in  the 
part  of  a  newsboy,  and  giving  his  imitations 
of  famous  actors.  William  H.  Crane  made  his 
professional  debut  at  Mechanics'  Hall,  Utica, 
N.  Y.,  July  13,  1865,  as  the  Notary  in  an  Eng- 
lish version  of  Donnizetti's  "Daughter  of  the 
Regiment."  He  was  then  known  as  "Master 
William,  the  great  basso  profundo." 

John  Drew  made  his  first  appearance  on  the 


Driftwood  of  the  Stage.  17 

stage  at  the  Arch  Street  Theater,  Philadelphia, 
then  under  his  mother's  management,  on  March 
27,,  1873,  as  Plumper  in  the  farce  ''Cool  as  a 
Cucumber."  His  second  part  was  Hornblower 
in  ''The  Laughing  Hyena."  The  debut  of  Ed- 
ward H.  Sothern  took  place  at  Abbey's  Park 
Theater,  New  York,  in  September,  1879,  as 
the  cabman  in  "Sam,"  one  of  his  father's  plays. 
All  he  had  to  do  was  to  appear,  carry  his  hand 
to  his  head  and  say :  "Half  a  crown,  your 
honor.     I  think  you  won't  object!" 

What  might  properly  be  called  the  profes- 
sional debut  of  William  Gillette  took  place  at 
the  Globe  Theater,  Boston,  September  13,  1875, 
when  he  appeared  as  Guzman  in  "Faint  Heart 
Never  Won  Fair  Lady."  Previous  to  this  he 
had  given  public  readings,  and  met  with  much 
success  in  his  imitations.  James  K.  Hackett 
made  his  debut  at  the  Park  Theater,  Phila- 
cielphia,  March  28,  1892,  as  a  member  of  A.  M. 
Palmer's  stock  company.  His  first  part  was 
Francois  in  "The  Broken  Seal." 

The  first  part  acted  by  Otis  Skinner  was  that 
of  Old  Plantation,  an  aged  negro,  in  a  rural 
play  called  "Woodleigh,"  at  Wood's  Museum, 
Philadelphia,  October  30,  1877,  and  the  first 
part  entrusted  to  Robert  Mantell  was  that  of 


1 8  Driftzvood  of  the  Stage. 

the  Sergeant  in  "Arrah-na-Pogue,"  at  Rock- 
dale, England,  in  1874. 

The  distinguished  place  that  Mrs.  Fiske  has 
achieved  among  contemporary  players  empha- 
sizes as  notably  as  it  emphasizes  anything,  the 
intrinsic  value  of  hard  w^ork,  careful  training 
and  wide  experience  in  the  dramatic  profession. 
Mrs.  Fiske  was  born  at  New  Orleans,  her  fa- 
ther being  Thomas  W.  Davey,  a  well  known 
manager  in  the  south  and  west,  but  from  the 
first  she  was  known  as  Minnie  Maddern,  after 
her  mother,  who  was  Lizzie  Maddern,  an  actress 
and  musician  of  much  ability.  Her  first  ap- 
pearance in  a  play  occurred  when  she  was  three 
years  old.  She  played  the  Duke  of  York  in 
"Richard  III."  Before  attaining  her  four- 
teenth year  she  had  acted  many  of  the  leading 
juvenile  parts,  and  occasionally  old  women's 
parts,  so  remarkable  was  her  adaptability.  At 
the  age  of  sixteen  she  became  a  star.  The  play 
in  which  she  made  her  stellar  debut  was  called 
"F'ogg's  Ferry,"  and  was  presented  at  the  Park 
Theater,  New  York,  May  20,  1882. 

Julia  Marlowe  began  her  stage  experience  at 
the  age  of  twelve  as  a  member  of  the  chorus 
of  Colonel  Miles'  Juvenile  Pinafore  Company. 
At  that  time  she  was  known  as  Fanny  Erough. 


IyOuis  Jambs. 


•"'I'lr'; 

«      C        t        I., 


Driftwood  of  the  Stage.  19 

She  did  not  remain  long  in  the  chorus,  soon 
being  permitted  to  take  the  parts  of  Hebe  and 
Little  Buttercup.  At  the  age  of  sixteen  Miss 
Marlowe  played  her  first  vShakespearean  char- 
acter, that  of  Balthazar,  in  "Romeo  and  Juliet." 
Her  debut  as  a  star  took  place  at  New  London, 
Conn.,  April  25,  1887.  The  play  selected  was 
"Ingomar,"  in  which  she  acted  Parthenia.  It 
was  at  this  time  she  was  first  called  Julia  Mar- 
lowe. 

Blanche  Walsh  made  her  first  public  appear- 
ance at  a  benefit  performance  at  the  Windsor 
Theater,  New  York,  in  June,  1887.  Miss 
Walsh  played  Desdemona  on  that  occasion.  Her 
first  professional  engagement  was  in  a  small 
part  in  the  melodrama,  "Siberia."  Maxine  El- 
liott began  her  serious  dramatic  work  when 
she  became  a  member  of  E.  S.  Willard's  com- 
pany in  1890,  during  the  English  actor's  first 
tour  of  this  country.  The  first  part  that  was 
given  her  was  Felecia  Umfraville  in  "The  Mid- 
dleman," and  she  also  played  Virginia  Fleet- 
wood in  "John  Needham's  Double."  The  next 
season  she  remained  with  Mr.  Willard  and  was 
given  the  part  of  Beatrice  Selwyn  in  "A  Fool's 
Paradise,"  and  later  that  of  Lady  Gilding  in 
"The  Professor's  Love  Story." 


Driftwood  of  the  Stage. 


Ada  Rehan  made  her  first  appearance  on  the 
stage  at  Newark,  N.  J.,  in  1873.  She  acted  the 
part  of  Clara  in  Oliver  Doud  Byron's  play 
*' Across  the  Continent."  Her  first  professional 
engagement  was  at  the  Arch  Street  Theater, 
Philadelphia,  then  under  the  management  of 
Mrs.  John  Drew.  Miss  Rehan  became  a  mem- 
ber of  this  company  in  1873,  and  remained  with 
i^  for  three  seasons.  May  Irwin  made  her  first 
appearance  on  the  stage  at  a  variety  theater  in 
Buffalo  in  December,  1875.  At  that  time  she 
and  her  sister  Flora  were  known  as  the  Irwin 
Sisters.  They  were  little  girls  in  short  dresses, 
and  the  first  song  they  sang  was  ** Sweet  Gene- 
vieve." Their  salary  was  thirty  dollars  a  week. 
Later  they  did  their  first  sketch,  which  was 
called  ''On  Board  the  Mary  Jane."  Lizzie 
Evans  made  her  first  bow  to  the  public  as  a  pro- 
fessional actress  at  the  Standard  Theater,  New 
York,  August  25,  1882.  Her  first  part  was 
that  of  Clip  in  Barney  Macauley's  ''A  Messen- 
ger from  Jarvis  Section." 

Mrs.  Leslie  Carter  began  her  stage  career  on 
November  10,  1890,  when  she  made  her  debut 
at  New  York  in  ''The  Ugly  Duckling."  In 
October,  1895,  she  made  an  astonishing  suc- 
cess as   Marvland   Calvert   in   "The  Heart  of 


Driftwood  of  the  Stage.  21 

Maryland,"  and  when  *'Zaza"  was  produced  at 
Washington,  D.  C,  December  26,  1898,  the 
dramatic  critics  of  the  capital  described  the 
play  as  a  masterpiece,  and  declared  her  to  be  one 
of  the  best  actresses  of  the  English  stage.  Kath- 
ryn  Kidder  made  her  debut  in  1885  as  Wanda 
in  the  play  "Nordeck,"  which  Frank  Mayo  had 
dramatized  from  a  German  novel  by  Mrs. 
Werner  called  "Vineta."  Miss  Kidder  stayed 
in  Mr.  Mayo's  company  about  a  year,  and  then 
acted  in  "Held  by  the  Enemy"  during  its  run 
at  the  Madison  Square  Theater,  New  York.  Ida 
Conquest  made  her  first  appearance  as  a  pro- 
fessional actress  with  Alexander  Salvini  in  1892, 
at  a  special  matinee  performance  at  the  Tremont 
Temple,  Boston,  of  ''Rohan,  the  Silent,"  in 
which  she  played  Isobel.  Her  first  stage  ap- 
pearance, however,  began  when  she  was  only 
eight  years  old  as  Little  Buttercup  in  the  Bos- 
ton Museum  juvenile  production  of  'Tinafore," 
in  which  she  appeared  over  three  hundred  times. 
Maude  Adams  made  her  first  appearance  on 
any  stage  at  the  age  of  nine  months,  at  Salt 
Lake  City,  when  she  was  carried  on  the  stage 
in  a  play  called  *'The  Lost  Child."  Her  first 
part  was  that  of  Little  Schneider  in  "Our  Fritz," 
with  J.   K.   Emmet.     Isabel  Irving's  first  en- 


22  Driftwood  of  the  Stage. 

gagement  was  with  Rosina  Vokes,  and  her  de- 
but was  made  at  the  Standard  Theater,  New 
York,  in  February,  1887,  as  Ermyntrude  John- 
son in  Pinero's  farce  *'The  School  Mistress." 
Later  she  was  given  the  part  of  Gwendolin  Haw- 
kins in  the  same  play.  In  the  fall  of  1888,  Miss 
Irving  joined  Augustin  Daly's  Company,  with 
which  she  was  connected  for  six  years.  From 
vaudeville  entertainer  to  leading  lady  for  Henry 
Irving  is  a  far  cry,  which  possibly  only  those  in 
professional  life  are  able  to  comprehend;  yet 
Cissy  Loftus  accomplished  it  with  seeming  ease. 


Driftwood  ol  the  Stage.  23 


"  THE  LITTLE  CHURCH  AROUND 
THE  CORNER." 


On  Twenty-ninth  Street,  near  Fifth  Avenue, 
New  York,  stands  the  vine-clad  Church  of  the 
Transfiguration,  which  is  perhaps  better  known 
as  ''The  Little  Church  Around  the  Corner."  By 
some  this  little  ivy-covered  place  of  worship  is 
called  the  Actors'  Church,  as  a  large  number 
of  professionals  are  among  its  regular  attend- 
ants. This  edifice  was  erected  in  1850,  and  the 
Rev.  Dr.  George  H.  Houghton,  who  founded 
the  parish,  was  its  rector  from  the  beginning 
until  his  death. 

The  first  Transfiguration  service  was  held  in 
a  small  room,  kindly  donated  for  the  purpose, 
and  a  bible,  a  prayer  book,  a  surplice,  a  pine 
wood  lecturn,  a  few  school  benches,  and  a  par- 
lor organ  comprised  all  the  possessions.  When 
the  present  site  was  fixed  upon,  and  a  portion 
less  than  one-fourth  of  the  present  edifice  was 
erected,  the  view  was  unbroken  to  Madison 
Square  below  and  to  Murray  Hill  above.  Lit- 
tle by  little  the  church  has  grown,  by  pushing 


24  Driftzvood  of  the  Stage. 

out  first  in  one  direction  and  then  in  another 
as  exigencies  required  or  resources  permitted, 
and  so  it  grew  into  its  present  rambling  but 
picturesque  and  satisfactory  proportions,  leav- 
ing a  fair,  open  court  of  beautifully  wooded 
grounds  opening  on  the  street,  with  its  flagged 
walks,  its  fountain,  its  shade  and  bird  song. 

The  church  is  much  embowered,  so  that  in 
the  season  of  foliage  it  is  hardly  visible.  Simple 
and  unpretending  without  it  is  all  glorious  with- 
in, with  its  devout  marble  altar  and  correct 
liturgic  accessories,  at  the  angle  where  the  long 
nave  and  its  one  transcept  meet,  its  exquisite 
baptistry,  its  valuable  and  costly  pictures,  its 
richly-varied  stained  windows,  and  its  unique 
memorial  window  which  lights  the  choir  and 
organ,  its  carved  and  costly  pulpit  and  furnish- 
ings, its  statuary  and  stations  of  the  cross.  There 
is  an  odor  of  loving  sacrifice  everywhere  which 
makes  for  the  visible  as  well  as  spiritual  beauty 
of  holiness.  The  church  is  always  open  from 
the  rising  of  the  sun  until  the  going  down 
thereof  for  public  or  private  devotion.  At  all 
hours  there  is  access  to  pastoral  ministration  for 
all  sorts  and  conditions  in  life,  and  day  and 
night  this  ministry  of  succor  and  consolation 
goes  on. 


Driftzvood  of  the  Stage.  25 


Out  of  a  single  obscure  Providence  of  the 
burial  of  a  baptized  man  grew  a  relation  with 
ihe  whole  dramatic  profession,  full  of  confi- 
dences and  generous  sympathies  to  this  day, 
which  otherwise  might  have  long  slumbered 
undeveloped.  It  was,  however,  only  a  prac- 
tical exemplification  of  the  rector's  favorite 
motto,  which  he  chose  to  Christianize  from  its 
pagan  setting :  *'Homo  sum  humani  nihil  a  me 
alienum  puto."  (I  am  a  man.  I  think  nothing 
human  alien  to  me.) 

It  was  on  December  20,  1870,  that  George 
Holland,  who  had  long  been  a  favorite  actor  in 
the  companies  made  famous  by  Lester  Wallack, 
Augustin  Daly,  and  others,  passed  from  earth 
after  almost  half  a  century's  professional  labor 
in  this  country.  Joseph  Jefferson,  who  was  a 
brother-in-law  of  the  deceased,  was  requested  by 
the  family  to  make  arrangements  for  the  fun- 
eral, and  made  an  application  to  have  the  burial 
service  held  at  a  church  where  Mr.  Holland  had 
been  an  attendant,  then  located  on  the  corner 
of  Fifth  Avenue  and  Twenty-ninth  street,  New 
York. 

In  the  "Autobiography  of  Joseph  Jefferson'* 
occurs  a  short  account  of  this  pathetic  yet  beau- 
tiful episode  now  famous  in  the  story  of  the- 


26  Driftwood  of  the  Stage. 

atrical  life.  ''Upon  the  announcement  of  the 
death  of  George  Holland,"  writes  Mr.  Jeffer- 
son, ''I  called  at  the  house  of  his  family  and 
found  them  in  great  grief.  The  sister  of  Mr. 
Holland  informed  me  that  they  desired  to  have 
the  funeral  take  place  from  the  church.  *  * 
I  at  once  started  in  quest  of  the  minister,  taking 
one  of  the  sons  of  Mr.  Holland  with  me.  *  * 
Something  gave  me  the  impression  that  I  had 
best  mention  that  Mr.  Holland  was  an  actor. 
1  did  so  in  a  few  words,  and  concluded  by  pre- 
suming that  probably  this  fact  would  make 
no  difference.  I  saw,  however,  by  the  strained 
manner  of  the  minister  that  it  would  make,  at 
least  to  him,  a  great  deal  of  difference.  After 
some  hesitation  he  said  if  Mr.  Holland  had 
been  an  actor  he  would  be  compelled  to  decline 
holding  the  service  in  the  church.  While  his 
refusal  would  have  shocked  under  ordinary  cir- 
cumstances, the  fact  that  it  was  made  in  the 
presence  of  the  dead  man's  son  was  more  pain- 
ful than  I  can  describe.  I  turned  to  look  at  the 
youth  and  saw  that  his  eyes  were  filled  with 
tears.  He  stood  as  one  dazed  with  a  blow  just 
realized." 

Mr.  Jefferson  then  asked  the  minister  whether 
he  could  suggest  some  church  where  the  cere- 


Driftwood  of  the  Stage.  27 

mony  might  be  performed.  *'He  replied  that 
there  was  a  little  church  around  the  corner 
where  I  might  get  it  done.  'Then,  if  that  be 
so,  God  bless  the  little  church  around  the 
corner,'  said  I.  The  minister  had  unwittingly 
performed  an  important  christening;  and  his 
baptismal  name,  'The  Little  Church  Around  the 
Corner,'  clings  to  it  to  this  day." 

Thither  the  party  w^ent,  and  the  rector.  Dr. 
Houghton,  readily  consented  to  perform  the 
last  rites  over  the  deceased.  Since  then  the 
Church  of  the  Transfiguration  has  been  known 
as  ''The  Little  Church  Around  the  Corner"  in 
the  affections  of  the  theatrical  world,  and  since 
then  generations  of  actors  have  been  married 
in  and  buried  from  this  little  church  that  shrinks 
from  the  noise  and  glitter  of  the  avenue.  Many 
strangers  come  to  worship  at  this  embowered 
shrine,  knowing  well  the  generous  welcome  that 
awaits  them.  The  kindly  spirit  which  has  ever 
prevailed  has  done  much  towards  making  what 
was  once  a  struggling  parish  one  of  the  strong- 
est in  the  diocese. 

Visitors  arriving  at  the  metropolis  go  to  see 
this  little  church  as  tourists  go  to  the  Tuileries 
at  Paris  or  St.  Peter's  at  Rome.  To  the  New 
Yorker  a  thousand  associations  makes  it  dear. 


28  Driftwood  of  the  Stage. 

The  old  John  Street  Church,  the  birth-place  of 
Methodism  in  America,  Trinity  Church,  with 
its  adjoining  graveyard  in  which  are  the  re- 
mains of  those  who  fought  and  died  for  our 
independence,  and  historic  St.  Paul's,  where 
Washington  used  to  worship,  are  visited  by 
many  each  year.  Grace  Church,  which  stands 
majestically  where  Broadway  turns  at  Tenth 
Street,  and  St.  Patrick's  Cathedral,  that  grand 
marble  structure  with  its  twin  spires  that  loom 
up  on  Fifth  Avenue,  attract  a  vast  number  who 
also  wend  their  way  to  ''The  Little  Church 
Around  the  Corner." 

The  marble  church  with  the  lofty  steeple 
where  they  had  no  room  for  the  actor  was  torn 
down  long  ago  to  make  room  for  business 
houses,  but  the  little  church  still  stands  and  will 
continue  to  stand  just  where  it  is  unless  de- 
stroyed by  fire  or  the  elements,  until  it  shall 
crumble  away.  It  is  founded  on  a  rock;  found- 
ed on  the  new  commandment  given  to  man- 
kind, "That  ye  love  one  another,"  and  nothing 
shall  prevail  against  it. 

As  the  older  members  of  the  profession  pass 
away,  younger  ones  take  their  place,  and  to  them 
this  house  of  worship  will  always  be  dear.  They 
revere  the  names  of  those  whose  remains  have 


Driftwood  of  the  Stage.  29 

been  brought  from  foreign  countries  and  dis- 
tant cities  that  the  prayers  for  the  dead  may  here 
be  said  over  all  that  was  mortal  of  them,  and 
without  regard  to  sect,  creed  or  denomination, 
stand  ready  to  show  their  devotion  by  their 
attendance,  their  services,  and  if  need  be,  their 
purse. 

George  Holland  was  born  at  Lambeth,  near 
London,  England,  December  6,  1791,  and  at 
the  time  of  his  death  was  seventy-nine  years 
old.  His  first  appearance  on  any  stage  was  at 
the  Olympic  Theater,  London,  in  1820,  as  Tom 
in  "All  at  Coventry."  He  made  his  debut  before 
an  American  audience  at  the  Bowery  Theater, 
New  York,  in  September,  1827,  assuming  seven 
characters  in  ''The  Day  After  the  Fair,"  and 
played  his  last  part  at  the  Fifth  Avenue  The- 
ater, New  York,  Januaray  12,  1870,  as  Mr. 
Jenkins,  in  a  play  called  "Surf."  He  joined  Mr. 
Daly's  company  in  1869  and  remained  a  mem- 
ber until  his  death.  The  last  time  he  appeared 
on  the  stage  was  at  a  testimonial  tendered  him 
at  this  same  theater.  May  16,  1870.  The  play 
of  "Frou  Frou"  was  presented,  but  he  took  no 
part  in  the  performance.  Too  much  affected  to 
respond  to  the  kind  plaudits  of  the  audience, 
he  spoke  his  last  lines  in  public,  impromptu  and 


30  Driftwood  of  the  Stage. 

from  the  heart,  ''God  bless  you  all!"  At  his 
death  benefit  performances  were  given  for  his 
family  at  New  York,  Brooklyn,  Boston,  Balti- 
more, San  Francisco,  and  Vicksburg,  Miss. 

George  Holland,  in  addition  to  being  a  fav- 
orite actor,  was  one  of  the  most  lovable  of  men ; 
and  not  only  the  theatrical  profession,  but  all 
the  newspapers  of  the  city  took  up  what  they 
considered  a  slight  to  the  dead  actor.  The  press 
of  the  entire  country  seemed  interested,  and 
''The  Little  Church  Around  the  Corner"  be- 
came universally  known.  On  the  day  of  the 
funeral  the  church  was  filled  to  its  capacity  and 
the  adjacent  streets  and  avenues  were  crowded 
with  spectators.  Aside  from  his  own  promi- 
nence in  the  profession  Mr.  Holland  was  con- 
nected with  other  professional  families  of  prom- 
inence, all  of  whom  attended  the  funeral,  and 
every  member  of  the  profession  within  reach 
of  New  York  was  present. 

The  following  day  the  newspapers  gave  much 
space  to  the  ceremonies.  One  paper  gave  the 
opinions  of  many  of  the  city's  most  prominent 
people  on  the  subject,  and  another  gave  an  il- 
lustration of  the  little  church.  A  little  later  ap- 
peared the  following  poem: 


Driftwood  of  the  Stage.  31 


"Bring  him  not  here,   where  our  sainted  feet 

Are  treading  the  path  to  glory; 
Bring   him   not   here,    where   our   Saviour   sweet 

Repeats  for  us  his  story. 
Go,   take  him   where  such   things   arc   done 

(For  he  sat  in  the  seat   of  the   scorner), 
To  where  they  have  room,  for  we  have  none, — 

To  the  little  church  round  the  corner." 

So  spake  the  Holy  man  of  God, 

Of  another  man,  his  brother, 
Whose  cold  remains,  ere  they  sought  the  sod, 

Had  only  asked  that  a  Christian  rite 
Might  be  read  above  them  by  one  whose  light 

Was,   "Brethren,   love   one  another;" 
Had  only  asked  that  a  prayer  be  read 
Ere  his  flesh  went  down  to  join  the  dead. 
While  his  spirit  looked  with  suppliant  eyes. 
Searching  for  God  through  the  skies. 
But'  the  priest  frowned   "No."  and  his  brow  was  bare 
Of  love  in  the  sight  of  the  mourner. 
And  they  looked  for  Christ  and  found  kim — where? 

In  that  little  church  round  the  corner. 

Ah,  well,  God  grant  when,  with  aching  feet. 

We  tread  lile's  last  few  paces. 

That  we  may  hear  some  accent  sweet. 

And,  kiss,  to  the  end,  fond  faces, 
God  grant  that  this  tired  flesh  may  rest 

(Mid  many  a  musing  mourner). 
While    the    sermon    is    preached    and    the    rites    are    read 
In  no  church  where  the  heart  of  love  is  dead, 
And  the  pastor's  a  pious  prig  at  best, 
But   in  some  small  nook  where  God's   confessed — 

Some  little  church  round  the  corner. 

— A.   E.   Lancaster. 

Some  of  our  best  known  actors  have  been 
buried  from  this  church,  and  the  funeral  serv- 
ices of  Mrs.  Holland,  who  survived  her  hus- 


Driftzvood  of  the  Stage. 


band  more  than  thirty  years,  were  also  held  at 
this  place.  In  addition  its  dear  old  rector  joined 
in  wedlock  more  than  one  thousand  stage  folks. 
The  esteem  in  which  he  was  held  by  the  pro- 
fession  can  hardly  be  described.  He  was  an 
honorary  life  member  of  the  Actors'  Fund  of 
America,  and  took  great  interest  in  its  good 
work. 

On  November  ly,  1897,  Dr.  Houghton  en- 
tered into  rest.  Called  from  the  serene  and  quiet 
duties  of  the  pastoral  life  in  which  his  heart 
delighted,  among  a  people  who  had  called  him 
to  them  for  nearly  fifty  years,  and  from  the 
widest  circle  of  devoted  and  admiring  friends, 
he  was  borne  to  the  grave.  By  his  death  the 
actor  lost  one  of  his  most  faithful  friends. 

He  was  succeeded  by  his  nephew.  Rev. 
George  C.  Houghton,  and  one  of  the  first 
things  the  new  rector  said  was:  "This  church 
has  ever  been  ready  to  welcome  all.  We  know 
no  distinction  here.  When,  years  ago,  the  actor 
was  not  welcomed  in  certain  churches,  we  were 
glad  to  receive  him,  and  we  always  shall  be." 

A  western  manager,  on  his  first  visit  to  New 
York,  expressed  a  desire  to  see  this  little  church. 
A  friend  offered  to  accompany  him,  and  the 
two  attended  a  Sunday  morning  service.     On 


Driftzvood  of  the  Stage.  33 

leaving,  they  saw  a  well  known  manager,  noted 
for  his  cold  and  austere  manner,  coming  toward 
the  church.  This  gentleman  was  a  strict  Ro- 
man Catholic,  but  had  often  been  called  upon 
to  act  as  pallbearer  at  this  house  of  worship.  The 
organ  was  playing  sweetly,  and  before  the  open 
door  he  stopped,  removed  his  hat  and  stood  rev- 
erently until  the  last  note  had  died  away;  then 
he  passed  on. 

The  name  of  Rev.  Dr.  George  H.  Houghton 
lives  as  a  teacher  of  true  religion ;  but  how  many 
that  read  this  can  even  recall  the  name  of  the 
one  that  refused  to  perform  the  funeral  rites 
©ver  a  fellow  man  because  he  was  an  actor? 


34  Driftzvood  of  the  Stage. 


A  GLANCE  AT  VAUDEVILLE. 


Few  persons  of  this  generation  are  aware  that 
H.  J.  Sargent  was  the  first  man  in  America  to 
give  the  name  "vaudeville"  to  the  class  of  en- 
tertainment that  it  signifies  to-day.  Mr.  Sar- 
gent's company  had  been  playing  at  the  Na- 
tional Theater,  Cincinnati,  and  as  the  theater 
was  to  be  given  up  to  the  French  tragedian, 
Charles  Fechter,  for  an  engagement  of  four 
nights,  the  company  was  taken  to  Weisiger's 
Hall,  Louisville,  Ky.,  to  fill  the  time. 

On  the  evening  of  February  23,  187 1,  the 
bills  at  that  house  announced  the  appearance  of 
"Sargent's  Great  Vaudeville  Company,  from  the 
National  Theater,  Cincinnati."  The  company 
consisted  of  the  Kiralfy  Troupe,  the  Rigl  Sis- 
ters, Gus  Williams,  Charles  A.  Vivian,  Will 
Carleton,  Jennie  Benson,  Kynock  and  Smith, 
Morrisey  and  Emerson,  Oscar  Willis,  Prince 
Sadi  d'Jalma  and  J.  W.  Ward. 

The  supplanting  of  the  word  "variety"  with 
"vaudeville,"  and  inviting  to  the  theater  the 
more   fastidious  and   refined   elements   of   the 


Driftwood  of  the  Stage.  35 


community  did  more  to  build  the  prosperity  of 
miscellaneous  amusement  and  give  it  prestige 
of  respectability  than  did  anything  else.  Va- 
riety shows  were  originally  confined  to  places 
where  the  patrons  were  all  men  who  would  not 
attend  unless  they  could  drink  or  smoke. 

More  and  more  the  people  are  looking  for 
the  humorous  side  of  the  situation.  This  is  why 
burlesque  and  vaudeville  features  have  become 
so  popular.  The  people  have  enough  of  tragedy 
in  real  life.  They  want  a  laugh,  or  at  least 
a  smile.  The  vaudeville  house  is  looked  upon 
by  most  people  as  the  house  of  comedy.  They 
know  a  place  where  their  troubles  cease  both- 
ering them.  They  learn  to  crave  for  that  method 
of  forget  fulness  and  yearn  for  the  entertain- 
ment. The  vaudeville  house  has  proved  a  boon 
to  the  community,  and  the  appreciation  is  mark- 
ed by  the  packed  houses  it  attracts. 

Vaudeville  in  Europe  is  nothing  like  what 
it  is  over  here.  Every  country  has  its  own  par- 
ticular style  of  theatrical  amusement.  They 
demand  high-class  vaudeville  over  there,  and 
in  the  German  cities,  Leipsig,  Dresden,  and  other 
places,  new  houses  are  going  up  all  the  time. 
The  salaries  are  not  so  high  but  the  performers 
do  not  have  to  work  so  hard.     Engagements 


36  Driftzvood  of  the  Stage. 

last  a  month  at  least,  and  in  many  cases  two 
months,  and  there  are  no  matinee  performances, 
not  even  on  Sunday  afternoon.  In  Europe  per- 
formers seldom  make  more  than  eight  to  ten 
jumps  in  any  year. 

In  Germany,  and  in  fact  all  over  Europe,  the 
vaudeville  houses  are  built  on  a  different  plan 
than  in  America.  Underneath  the  theater  in 
that  country,  they  have  a  huge  saloon  or  gar- 
den with  a  cafe  and  billiard  room  adjoining. 
If  one  does  not  fancy  the  show  very  much,  he 
can  go  down  stairs  and  enjoy  his  game  or  re^ 
freshments. 

In  Austrian  cities,  Vienna  and  Buda  Pesth, 
the  vaudeville  idea  is  still  different,  the  re- 
freshment and  entertainment  features  being  di- 
rectly combined.  There,  the  floor  of  the  the- 
ater does  not  slant  from  the  rear  to  the  or- 
chestra, but  is  perfectly  flat.  Instead  of  the  chair 
seats,  as  we  have  here,  the  Austrians  sit  around 
tables.  About  six  o'clock  supper  is  served,  and 
the  people  go  in  and  occupy  the  tables,  and  eat 
and  drink.  The  German  and  Austrian  could 
not  be  cramped  up  in  a  chair.  He  must  have 
room  to  stretch  himself,  and  he  must  have  a 
long  show. 


Driftzvood  of  the  Stage.  37 

A  theater  built  on  the  American  plan  could 
not  exist  there.  Neither  could  an  American 
vaudeville  house  live  in  England.  They  have 
their  own  style  of  music  hall  there,  and  they 
are  wedded  unalterably  to  that  fashion.  Vaude- 
ville in  France  does  not  amount  to  much,  the 
French,  except  in  Paris,  depending  mostly  on 
their  cafe  concerts,  with  perhaps  twenty  sing- 
ers on  the  bill,  and  one  or  two  vaudeville  acts. 

What  makes  the  vaudeville  entertainment  so 
popular  is  its  cleanliness.  The  old-time  variety 
theater  with  its  uninviting  surroundings  is  no 
more,  and  in  place  of  the  dismal-looking  houses 
where  this  style  of  performance  was  given  a  few 
years  ago,  the  finest  theaters  in  the  country  are 
now  devoted  exclusively  to  vaudeville.  Both 
manager  and  performer  should  be  given  credit 
for  the  change.  The  manager  leaves  nothing 
undone  that  will  make  his  theater  attractive,  and 
for  the  care  and  comfort  of  his  patrons.  The 
employe  is  well  looked  after,  is  handsomely  uni- 
formed and  well  paid.  The  dressing  and  wait- 
ing rooms  for  the  actors  have  every  conven- 
ience, and  they  have  sense  enough  to  realize  it. 
The  acts  are  properly  staged  and  can  be  shown 
to  good  advantage.  The  class  distinction  that 
once  existed   between   the   legitimate  and   the 


38  Driftzvood  of  the  Stage. 

vaudeville  actor  is  a  thing  of  the  past.  They  do 
not  now  refer  to  each  other  as  "bum  legits,"  or 
''low  variety,"  but  work  harmoniously  in  the 
same  bill. 

Ladies  and  children  are  especially  looked  after, 
and  should  any  one  attempt  to  annoy  them  in 
any  way  he  would  have  his  money  returned 
and  forced  to  quit  the  place  in  short  order.  All 
acts  must  be  suitable  for  refined  audiences  and 
offensive  words  are  not  allowed  to  be  used  at 
any  time  or  by  any  person.  Among  the  words 
prohibited  are  "damn,"  "devil,"  "slob"  and 
others  of  that  class,  and  reference  to  socks,  feet, 
breath  and  poker  games  is  prohibited.  Even 
the  much  maligned  mother-in-law  can  attend 
without  fear  of  being  ridiculed. 

Often  it  is  wonderful  where  all  the  acts  come 
from.  The  manager  is  always  on  the  lookout 
for  features  that  will  please  the  patrons  as  well 
as  fill  the  house.  Military  bands  are  taken  from 
the  concert  stage,  famous  singers  are  taken  from 
grand  opera,  and  stars  from  the  legitimate  offer 
beautiful  playlets. 

Some  managers  devote  a  certain  morning 
each  week  to  trying  out  amateur  and  unknown 
specialties.  The  theater  is  empty  save  those  con- 
nected   with    the    house,    and    perhaps    a    few 


Mrs.  Fiske. 


Driftwood  of  the  Stage.  39 

vaudeville  agents  on  the  lookout  for  a  diamond 
in  the  rough.  It  is  the  most  crucial  test  a  sketch 
or  a  performer  can  be  put  to.  Jokes  are  ghastly 
when  given  to  empty  seats,  except  the  few  oc- 
cupied by  the  stony-hearted  committee.  Songs 
sound  hollow,  dancers  look  ordinary,  lines  are 
hopelessly  tame  and  the  spirit  of  appreciation 
which  makes  or  mars  a  thing  is  absolutely  lack- 
ing. 

Every  morning  there  are  more  persons  to  be 
heard  than  time  permits.  About  nine  out  of 
ten  are  not  worth  hearing.  Tears  flow  copi- 
ously. Four  out  of  five  women  break  down  and 
think  their  hearts  are  broken.  How  confident 
they  are  that  if  they  could  only  have  had  an 
audience  and  lights,  and  the  feeling  that  goes 
with  amusement  honors — how  different  it 
would  have  been.  They  straggle  home  down- 
hearted, discouraged,  and  despondent.  What 
is  the  use  ?  They  look  wistfully  at  the  bill- 
boards they  are  passing  by  and  account  for  some 
other  one's  greatness  as  so  much  pull  or  so  much 
luck.  They  forget  that  they  have  just  had  an 
opportunity,  and  if  merit  there  had  been  any 
they  would  have  been  joyfully  accepted.  Man- 
agers are  not  spending  wearisome  hours  watch- 
ing unknown  amateurs  for  the  mere  pleasure  of 


40  Driftzvood  of  the  Sta^e. 

the  thing.  The  hope  of  running  on  something 
good,  a  novelty,  a  genius  like  an  angel  un- 
awares, is  the  only  thing  that  keeps  them  out 
front  four  or  five  hours  or  permitting  a  lot  of 
would-be  artists  to  use  their  time  and  attention. 
The  restrictions  though  rigid  are  few,  and  sel- 
dom of  the  sort  that  cannot  be  obliterated  with- 
out detriment  to  the  sketch. 

The  great  trouble  confronting  vaudeville  man- 
agers is  getting  the  successful  artists  to  produce 
new  things.  Once  the  clever  people  make  a  hit 
they  immediately  lie  back  and  rest  jauntily  upon 
their  laurels,  imbued  with  the  impression  that 
the  next  two  or  three  seasons  are  easy.  Half, 
more  than  half,  the  people  seen  on  trying-out 
mornings  have  no  right  to  be  going  through 
the  stage  door.  There  never  was  a  man  or  wo- 
man yet  who  did  not  think  in  their  secret  soul 
that  they  could  act.  A  great  many  of  these  men 
and  women  try  it,  and  when  awful  and  abso- 
lute failure  is  their  reward  they  wring  their 
hands  and  screech  to  high  heaven  with  disap- 
pointment, and  blame  managers. 

But  these  managers  are  the  most  lenient  of 
men.  They  realize  fully  the  awkwardness  of 
the  position,  the  inevitable  stage  fright  that  is 
afflicting  the  performers  before  them.     They 


Driftwood  of  the  Stage.  41 


know  that  every  new  and  untried  sketch  is  raw 
material  and  bound  to  begin  badly,  or  begin  well 
and  end  badly.  They  wait  patiently  for  action 
to  develop,  for  lines  to  grow  brighter,  for  per- 
formers to  gain  self-possession.  Every  sketch, 
every  turn  is  given  a  fair  trial ;  but  when  in  the 
face  of  all  conditions,  the  act  is  hopeless  from 
all  points  of  view,  it  is  only  fair  to  call  it  off  and 
give  possibility  a  show.  In  the  course  of  time 
good  acts,  clever  workers,  agreeable  personals, 
novelties  and  interesting  turns  are  weeded  out 
and  given  to  the  public. 

Great  care  is  used  in  booking  the  acts  and  it 
is  very  seldom  a  mistake  is  made.  The  most 
notable  case  on  record  is  of  an  ex-prize  fighter 
who  was  engaged  at  one  of  the  houses  to  present 
a  monologue.  He  was  a  coarse  creature  with 
an  abominable  dialect,  and  had  other  habits  of 
speech  and  conduct  that  unfitted  him  for  polite 
society,  but  it  was  thought  he  would  prove  a 
great  drawing  card.  His  appearance  at  the 
third  performance  was  one  of  the  most  lament- 
able happenings  in  vaudeville  history,  and  it 
was  necessary  to  ring  down  the  curtain  on  him 
twice.  He  came  before  the  audience  in  a  thor- 
oughly unpresentable  condition,  being  so  far  un- 
der the  influence  of  liquor  that  he  had  no  idea 


42  Driftwood  of  the  Stage. 

of  what  he  was  talking,  and  made  several  dis- 
tasteful allusions. 

At  first  many  of  the  audience  thought  that 
his  rambling  and  impertinent  talk  was  in  his 
monologue,  but  as  he  went  on  he  grew  more 
rank  in  tone  until  one  or  two  very  serious 
breaks  brought  his  hearers  to  a  realization  that 
the  man  was  not  acting  but  was  intoxicated. 
Next  he  took  some  bills  from  his  pocket  and  of- 
fered them  to  the  orchestra  leader.  There  were 
gasps  and  laughs  and  expressions  of  dissatis- 
faction from  the  audience.  Then  he  lost  all 
track  and  began  babbling  inanely  bits  of  stories, 
reminiscences  of  his  career  and  boasts  about  his 
prowess.  It  was  silly  but  there  was  nothing 
profane  in  what  he  said. 

He  realized  himself  that  he  was  drunk  and 
attempted  to  tell  the  audience  about  it,  but  the 
management  rang  down  the  curtain  and  cut 
him  off.  In  a  few  seconds  he  rushed  out 
through  the  first  entrance  before  the  curtain  and 
tried  to  speak,  but  he  was  hissed  almost  off  his 
feet.  He  then  tried  to  recite  a  sentimental 
poem,  but  the  management  saw  the  utter  hope- 
lessness of  the  case  and  the  ridicule  to  which  he 
was  exposing  the  house,  and  the  curtain  was 
rung  down  again.     The  manager  came  before 


Driftwood  of  the  Stage.  43 

the  audience  and  announced  the  cancellation, 
saying  that  the  house  could  not  afford  to  allow 
a  performer  to  insult  its  audiences.  The  party 
had  been  engaged  in  perfect  good  faith,  as  he 
had  made  such  a  tremendous  success  in  the  east 
where  he  had  been  playing  for  the  previous  few 
weeks.  Before  making  a  contract  with  him  rig- 
orous inquiries  had  been  made  into  the  charac- 
ter of  the  act,  and  he  had  been  given  every 
assurance  from  the  other  managers  that  it  was 
all  right.  On  this  recommendation  he  made 
the  contract,  and  he  regretted  very  much  the 
fact  that  the  person  had  ever  been  permitted 
to  appear  at  the  house.  The  audience  applauded 
the  action  heartily,  and  everyone  seemed  satis- 
fied. 

There  is  more  harmony  among  vaudeville  per- 
formers than  in  any  other  branch  of  the  pro- 
fession. Of  course,  no  one  wants  to  open  or 
close  the  show,  and  once  in  a  while  a  protest  is 
made  as  to  whom  they  follow  on  the  program. 
Conceited  persons  do  not  remain  so  long,  as 
something  is  sure  to  occur  that  will  restore  them 
to  their  normal  condition.  A  performer  taking 
part  in  a  private  entertainment  at  the  conclusion 
of  his  act  was  greeted  with  loud  and  continued 
applause.      Returning  to  the   stage  he  bowed 


44  Driftwood  of  the  Sta^e. 

and  bowed  to  the  audience,  but  the  cheers  and 
applause  did  not  stop.  Finally,  the  one  in  charge 
called  out  to  him :  "Come  off.  That  is  not  for 
you.  The  governor  of  the  state  has  just  come 
in." 

Strikes  are  unknown  among  actors,  not  even 
the  sudden  epidemic  of  sickness  that  broke  out 
under  the  auspices  of  the  White  Rats  of  Amer- 
ica, in  1901,  and  which  affected  a  number  of 
theaters  in  the  east,  could  hardly  be  called  a 
strike.  A  company  playing  at  the  Olympic  The- 
ater, Chicago,  a  number  of  years  ago,  packed  up 
their  belongings  and  refused  to  appear  on  the 
same  bill  with  two  colored  performers,  and  the 
manager  was  compelled  to  accede  to  their  de- 
mands or  close  the  house. 

A  woman  who  had  no  business  on  the  vaude- 
ville stage,  or  any  other  stage  for  that  matter, 
came  near  closing  the  Grand  Opera  House, 
Philadelphia,  for  a  time,  when  it  was  being 
conducted  as  a  vaudeville  house.  The  profes- 
sion was  not  adopted  by  her  as  a  means  of  live- 
lihood as  she  was  immensely  wealthy  in  her  own 
right,  and  by  marriage  connected  with  the 
wealthiest  families  in  the  Keystone  State.  It 
was  not  to  acquire  fame,  as  she  moved  in  the 
most  exclusive  society  and  her  husband  held  a 


Driftwood  of  the  Stage.  45 

position  of  rank  in  the  service  of  his  country. 
It  might  have  been  to  gain  notoriety. 

Her  name  was  found  heading  the  bills  that 
contained  the  names  of  actors  who  had  been 
recognized  favorites  for  years,  and  she  picked 
her  place  on  the  program.  She  was  treated  with 
the  utmost  courtesy  by  all.  During  rehearsal 
on  the  day  she  was  to  make  her  first  appear- 
ance at  her  home  city,  she  made  complaint  as  to 
her  dressing  room,  claiming  it  was  too  near  the 
other  members  of  the  company,  whom  she  did 
not  know  and  with  whom  her  position  in  society 
would  not  allow  her  to  associate.  A  fine  place 
for  a  remark  like  that.  Other  uncomplimentary 
things  that  had  been  said  of  the  profession  in 
general  were  recalled,  and  a  fight  was  on.  A 
committee  informed  the  manager  there  would 
be  no  performance  if  the  offending  party  was 
to  appear,  and  things  looked  as  if  the  house 
would  have  to  be  closed.  A  truce  was  arranged 
by  an  apology  being  made,  but  the  week's  en- 
gagement was  far  from  pleasant  to  all.  Among 
those  who  protested  longest  and  loudest  against 
appearing  on  the  same  bill  with  such  a  person 
was  an  exhibitor  of  trained  dogs  and  monkeys. 


I 


46  Driftwood  of  the  Sta^e. 


ORIGIN  OF  THE  ELKS. 


It  is  to  the  stage  and  the  people  of  the  stage 
that  the  Benevolent  and  Protective  Order  of 
Elks  owes  its  existence.  That  band  of  pioneers 
who  were  its  founders  had  no  thought  that  the 
order  would  ever  reach  such  gigantic  propor- 
tions, and  although  it  has  long  since  outgrown 
the  limitations  that  made  members  of  the  the- 
atrical profession  alone  eligible  for  membership, 
the  order  has  ever  been  in  sympathetic  touch 
and  fraternal  union  with  the  people  of  the 
stage. 

The  straight-laced  excise  laws  which  were 
passed  by  the  legislature  of  the  state  of  New 
York  in  the  year  1866  led  incidentally  to  the 
foundation  of  the  Elks.  Actors,  as  a  rule,  are  a 
jovial,  free-hearted  set,  and  with  a  rigid  en- 
forcement of  the  excise  laws  they  were  deprived 
of  one  of  their  few  sources  of  amusement.  Sun- 
day was  the  only  day  in  the  week  which  the  actor 
at  that  time  could  call  his  own,  and  his  mind 
demanded  relaxation  from  the  cares  lof  the 
week,  so  he  generally  sought  the  companion- 


Driftwood  of  the  Stage.  47 

ship  of  kindred  spirits  in  the  profession  to  dis- 
cuss the  latest  gossip  of  the  theater,  the  advent 
of  some  new  star,  the  prospects  of  the  coming 
season,  and  these  discussions,  of  course,  partook 
of  the  fashion  and  custom  of  the  world  of  un- 
conventionality.  The  new  excise  law  came  like 
a  bombshell  on  these  assemblies,  and  not  only 
scattered  the  participants,  but  put  an  end  to  all 
the  old  places  of  meeting. 

For  a  while  the  actors  were  at  a  loss  what  to 
do.  Their  meetings  had  become  so  regular,  al- 
though they  had  no  organization,  and  they 
had  become  so  cemented  together  in  the  bonds 
of  goodfellowship  that  the  deprivation  made 
them  feel  instinctively  the  need  of  organiza- 
tion. How  to  accomplish  that  result,  however, 
did  not  present  itself  to  any  of  their  minds  for 
quite  a  while  afterward,  when  it  was  finally  re- 
solved to  form  a  society  patterned  somewhat 
after  the  Buffaloes,  a  famous  English  convivial 
organization  composed  entirely  of  actors. 

The  new  society  took  the  somewhat  ambigu- 
ous name  of  the  Jolly  Corks.  Whether  the 
title  was  adopted  because  of  the  lightness  of 
spirit,  which  was  a  prime  characteristic  of  the 
little  party,  or  on  account  of  the  connection  of 
corks  with  the  theatrical  profession,  has  never 


48  Driftwood  of  the  Stage. 

been  fully  explained.  At  first  only  a  few  were 
banded  together.  Each  week  a  purse  was  raised 
by  small  contributions  from  the  members  which 
was  used  to  pay  for  the  meeting  room  and  buy 
refreshments  and  a  lunch  for  the  company. 

It  w^as  at  the  boarding  house  of  Mrs.  Gies- 
man,  at  188  Elm  Street,  New  York,  that  the 
first  meetings  of  the  Tolly  Corks  were  held.  Mrs. 
Giesman's  house  was  at  that  time  a  favorite  re- 
sort with  a  number  of  choice  spirits,  among 
whom  were  several  musicians  and  others  con- 
nected with  the  theatrical  profession.  These, 
with  a  few  congenial  associates,  were  in  the 
habit  of  assembling  in  the  parlor  on  Sunday  af- 
ternoons for  the  purpose  of  spending  the  time 
in  social  intercourse.  It  was  at  one  of  these 
meetings  in  the  fall  of  1867  that  the  association 
was  given  a  permanent  form,  and  the  first  offi- 
cers elected.  Charles  A.  Vivian  was  the  first 
Imperial  Cork,  as  the  presiding  officer  was 
designated.  The  original  organization  consist- 
ed of  fifteen  members.  All  were  not  members 
of  the  theatrical  profession,  and  their  names 
and  vocations  are  hereby  appended.  Charles 
A.  Vivian,  T.  Grattan  Riggs,  William  Carleton, 
George  F.  McDonald,  William  Sheppard, 
Henry  Vandemark  and  William  Lloyd  Bowron 


( 


Driftwood  of  the  Stage.  49 

were  connected  with  the  amusement  profession ; 
Richard  Steirly  was  a  music  teacher;  John  T. 
Kent,  E.  M.  Piatt,  Harry  Bosworth  and  John 
H.  Blume  were  connected  with  mercantile 
houses;  Frank  Langhorn  and  M.  G.  Ashe  were 
photographers,  and  John  G.  Wilton  was  a  wood 
turner. 

The  organization  prospered  from  the  start, 
it  being  semi-secret  and  quite  exclusive.  A  re- 
solution was  passed  whereby  none  but  members 
of  the  dramatic,  minstrel  and  equestrian  pro- 
tessions  were  admitted,  and  of  those  classes 
only  men  who  were  congenial  to  the  founders 
were  eligible  to  membership.  In  the  meantime 
an  initiation  service  had  been  provided  for  ad- 
mission of  candidates  to  membership. 

After  the  Jolly  Corks  had  been  in  existence 
lor  some  time  better  things  for  the  organization 
were  thought  of  by  the  members,  and  at  a 
meeting  in  December,  1867,  the  question  arose 
as  to  the  feasibility  of  creating  an  order  for 
charitable  as  well  as  social  purposes.  The  idea 
met  with  general  favor,  and  it  was  decided  to 
form  a  society  with  a  broader  scope  and  a 
nobler  purpose.  A  committee  of  seven  was 
appointed  with  full  power  to  provide  a  consti- 
tution, ritual,  by-laws,  and  a  name  for  the  new 

4 


50  Driftzvood  of  the  Stage. 

order.  This  committee  consisted  of  George  W. 
Thompson,  William  Lloyd  Bowron,  George 
F.  McDonald,  William  Sheppard,  T.  Grattan 
Riggs,  James  Glenn,  and  Henry  Vandemark, 
who,  after  several  weeks'  labor  reported  a  con- 
stitution, ritual  and  by-laws,  and  recommended 
the  name  of  the  Benevolent  and  Protective 
Order  of  Elks. 

The  committee  who  were  appointed  to  find  a 
name  to  substitute  for  Jolly  Corks  were  thor- 
oughly Americans,  and  naturally  wanted  a 
distinctive  American  name.  Buffaloes  had 
been  suggested,  but  although  the  animal  was  a 
native  of  the  country  the  knowledge  that  an 
English  order  had  usurped  the  name  caused 
the  suggestion  to  be  discarded.  The  minds  of 
the  committee  seemed  to  run  to  animals.  Bears 
were  thought  of,  but  as  those  animals  had  few 
inviting  traits,  being  coarse,  brutal  and  morose, 
the  thought  of  adoption  was  cast  aside;  beavers 
industrious  enough,  but  too  destructive;  foxes 
too  cunning  and  crafty;  and  so  on  through  the 
list.  In  choosing  the  elk,  the  founders  were 
inspired  with  poesy.  In  all  natural  history 
there  is  no  animal  more  beautiful.  Majestic  of 
mien,  swift  of  foot,  timid  and  shy,  an  eye  as 
soft  as  childhood's,  the  elk  is,  nevertheless,  re- 


Driftwood  of  the  Stage.  51 

solute  in  the  defense  of  its  rights.  The  prey 
of  many,  it  brings  no  grief  to  any  child  of  the 
forest.  It  is  neither  rapacious  nor  revengeful. 
Its  home  is  sylvan,  and  its  ways  are  ways  of 
pleasantness. 

The  constitution  and  by-laws  were  adopted 
February  16,  1868,  and  a  temporary  organiza- 
tion effected.  Under  the  title  of  Benevolent 
and  Protective  Order  of  Elks,  Charles  A. 
Vivian  presided  at  one  session  of  the  lodge,  in 
which  he  conferred  the  first  degree  on  a  num- 
ber of  candidates,  but  not  until  three  months 
later,  May  17,  1868,  was  the  new  ritual  pre- 
sented to  the  lodge  and  adopted.  At  the  meet- 
ing of  May  24,  one  week  later,  the  committee 
invested  the  brethren  of  the  Jolly  Corks  with 
the  grips,  signs,  pass-words  and  second  degree 
of  the  Elks,  and  on  the  same  evening  the  first 
officers  of  the  new  order  were  elected. 

The  first  initiation  fee  was  placed  at  two 
dollars,  but  as  the  lodge  was  rapidly  increasing 
ill  membership,  and  it  was  found  necessary  to 
procure  larger  quarters,  the  initiation  fee  was 
raised  to  five  dollars.  In  December,  1868,  the 
entire  membership  of  the  Benevolent  and  Pro- 
tective Order  of  Elks  consisted  of  fifty-five  per- 


52  Driftwood  of  the  Stage. 

sons,  all  of  whom,  with  a  few  exceptions,  were 
members  of  the  theatrical  profession. 

The  following  gentlemen  were  elected  as  the 
first  officers  of  the  new  order:  George  W. 
Thompson,  Right  Honorable  Primo  and 
Exalted  Ruler;  James  Glenn,  First  Assistant 
Right  Honorable  Primo  and  Esteemed  Leading 
Knight;  William  Lloyd  Bowron,  Second  As- 
sistant Right  Honorable  Primo  and  Esteemed 
Loyal  Knight;  George  F.  McDonald,  Third 
Assistant  Right  Honorable  Primo  and  Es- 
teemed Lecturing  Knight;  William  Sheppard, 
Secretary;  Henry  Vandemark,  Treasurer;  Al- 
bert Hall,  Tiler. 

The  other  members  of  the  order  at  the  time 
were  as  follows:  Thomas  G.  Gaynor,  William 
H.  Smith,  Hugh  Dougherty,  James  Carter, 
John  Mulligan,  Harry  Stanwood,  William  Car- 
ter, Archie  Hughes,  M.  G.  Ashe,  Joseph 
Leonard,  Hugh  O'Neill,  Claude  Goldie,  John 
H.  Blume,  John  F.  Oberist,  Henry  Rapp, 
William  Hallam  Brown,  James  W.  Lingard, 
William  G.  Griffin,  Louis  Nevers,  George 
Rockafellar,  George  J.  Green,  Harry  Bosworth, 
John  T.  Kent,  John  G.  Wilton,  Edward  Eddy, 
E.  M.  Piatt,  Charles  F.  Shattuck,  John  W. 
Vanness,  Robert  Spears,    T.    Grattan    Riggs, 


Driftwood  of  the  Stage.  53 

Antonio  Pastor,  John  Shannon,  Fernando  Pas- 
tor, Henry  P.  O'Neill,  William  Carleton,  John 
Queen,  Thomas  Donnelly,  Joseph  Norcross, 
James  W.  Brady,  Frederick  Hoffman,  John  F. 
Poole,  Cool  White,  George  Guy,  John  H. 
Brewer,  Frank  Langhorn,  Ernest  Neyer,  Rich- 
ard Steirly,  George  W.  Green  and  Robert  S. 
Martin. 

The  first  entertainment  under  the  auspices 
of  the  new  order  was  a  ball  given  at  Ferrero's 
Assembly  Rooms,  Broadway  and  Twenty- 
eighth  Street,  New  York,  April  16,  1868.  The 
first  benefit  for  the  purpose  of  augmenting  the 
funds  of  the  lodge,  was  advertised  as  the  "First 
Annual  Benefit  of  the  Performers'  Benevolent 
and  Protective  Order  of  Elks,"  and  took  place 
at  the  Academy  of  Music,  New  York,  on  the 
afternoon  of  June  8,  1868.  The  first  Ladies' 
Social  Session  in  Elkdom  was  held  December 
25,  1870.  Brother  Tony  Pastor  was  chosen  to 
preside.  The  first  Memorial  Services,  at  that 
time  called  a  Lodge  of  Sorrow,  was  held  at 
Masonic  Hall,  New  York,  on  the  afternoon  of 
March  20,  1870.  The  hall  was  appropriately 
draped,  and  an  excellent  program  was  rendered, 
of  which  music  was  a  prominent  feature.  From 
this  time  the  exercises  commemorative  of  de- 


54  Driftwood  of  the  Sta^e. 

parted  brothers  were  brought  to  a  systematic 
basis,  and  were  held  annually  on  an  elaborate 
scale. 

In  less  than  a  year  continued  additions  to 
their  ranks  rendered  another  change  necessary, 
and  the  lodge  was  again  compelled  to  seek 
larger  quarters.  The  increase  in  the  member- 
ship was  due  to  the  prominence  given  the  order 
by  its  elaborate  theatrical  benefits,  and  also  from 
the  fact  that  no  restriction  as  to  profession  was 
placed  on  membership  under  the  constitution. 

Little  did  that  small  coterie  dream  that  they 
were  sowing  the  seeds  that  would  bring  forth 
such  fruit.  They  builded  better  than  they  knew\ 
In  love  of  humanity  they  planted  the  germ  of 
a  great  fraternity,  an  organization  that  reaches 
over  the  whole  union,  embracing  many  lodges 
in  every  state,  and  has  dispensed  millions  of 
dollars  for  the  aid  of  mankind ;  an  order  which 
gathers  in  gentle  charity  to  dispense  it,  as  the 
silent  rain — charity,  but  not  alms.  How  many 
thousands  of  these  unknown  records  of  mercy 
are  inscribed  in  wounded  hearts  to-day? 

They  taught  charity  without  ostentation,  the 
one  great  secret  of  the  order  being  to  dispense 
charity  without  publicity,  and  to  keep  sacred 
the  name  of  a  brother  receiving  aid  or  relief 


Driftivood  of  the  Stage.  55 

from  the  order.  They  taught  us  to  write  the 
faults  of  our  brothers  on  the  sand,  and  to  en- 
grave their  virtues  on  the  tablets  of  love  and 
memory.  They  taught  that  not  only  for  the 
living  must  we  manifest  regard  and  fraternal 
care,  but  for  those  who  have  gone  before,  who 
have  passed  from  earth  and  have  solved  the 
mysteries  of  life  and  death,  and  each  year 
solemn  services  are  held  to  do  honor  to  their 
memory. 

There  seems  to  be  a  desire  in  every  human 
heart  not  to  be  forgotten.  We  all  desire  to 
live  again,  and  that  our  names  and  memory 
shall  not  perish  from  the  earth.  It  is  a  thought 
dear  to  the  heart  of  every  man,  that  after  being 
called  to  his  last  account,  that  those  friends  who 
survive  us  will  annually  meet  and  that  some 
one  of  our  friends  will  each  year,  in  loving 
phrases,  recall  our  virtues,  so  that  others  will 
keep  forever  green  our  memory.  Those  who 
founded  this  noble  order  have  nearly  all  passed 
through  the  gate  which  closes  on  earth's  twi- 
light and  opens  on  Heaven's  dawn.  They  were 
the  men  w^ho  exemplified  the  grandest  principles 
the  world  ever  knew — Charity,  Justice,  Broth- 
erly Love  and  Fidelity, 

During  the  first  year  of  its  organization  not 


56  Driftwood  of  the  Stage. 

a  death  occurred  in  the  lodge,  but  in  1869  one 
of  its  members  passed  away,  and  Brother  Albert 
Hall  has  the  distinction  of  being  the  first  mem- 
ber of  the  Benevolent  and  Protective  Order  of 
Elks  to  be  called  by  the  Exalted  Ruler  above. 
Brother  James  W.  Lingard,  a  prominent  and 
popular  actor-manager,  died  in  July,  1870,  and 
his  funeral  was  the  first  public  demonstration 
in  which  the  Elks  took  part.  The  funeral  of 
Brother  Lingard  took  place  on  a  Sunday  after- 
noon, and  the  lodge  had  charge  of  the  service. 
The  members  were  out  in  force,  and  arrayed 
uniformly  in  dark  clothing,  silk  hats,  white 
aprons  and  gloves,  with  a  sprig  of  amaranth 
on  the  lapel  of  their  coats  made  a  striking  ap- 
pearance. They  had  no  music;  they  needed 
none.  The  Elks  had  often  been  heard  of  but 
never  seen,  and  no  finer-looking  body  of  men 
ever  appeared  on  the  streets  of  that  great  city. 
The  first  set  of  fours  was  composed  of  Brothers 
Nelse  Seymour,  John  Mulligan,  George  F.  Mc- 
Donald and  T.  Grattan  Riggs,  all  big  fellows, 
and  now  numbered  with  the  absent.  Following 
them  were  the  familiar  faces  of  all  the  pro- 
m.inent  managers  and  actors  of  that  day. 
Brother  George  W.  Thompson  was  the  Exalted 
Ruler  of  the  lodg-e  at  that  time  and  conducted 


Edward  H.  Sothern. 


Driftwood  of  the  Stage.  57 

the  services.  Of  the  participants  on  that 
occasion  very  few  are  now  alive,  but  the  ones 
that  are  can  still  be  found  in  the  ranks. 

In  the  Cemetery  of  the  Evergreens  at  Brook- 
lyn, N.  Y.,  is  the  Elks'  Rest  of  New  York 
Lodge,  No.  I.  This  rest  was  dedicated  in 
1879,  and  was  the  first  of  the  many  now  in  the 
country,  and  about  the  handsome  monument 
are  clustered  the  carefully  kept  graves  of  its 
former  members.  The  first  interments  in  this 
plot  were  Brothers  Henry  Mason,  John  Mulli- 
gan, John  C.  Campbell,  James  Clark  and  Joseph 
Knight,  whose  remains  were  brought  from 
another  cemetery  and  laid  to  rest  at  one  and 
the  same  time  beneath  the  branching  antlers  of 
the  Elk,  the  emblem  of  the  order  they  loved  so 
well. 


58  Driftwood  of  the  Sta^e. 


IMPORTANCE  OF  DETAIL. 


Dramatic  authors  at  times  pay  too  little  at- 
tention to  detail,  and  very  often  scenes  and 
situations  are  presented  that  have  a  tendency 
tc  reflect  on  the  intelligence  of  the  audience. 
In  farce  comedy  the  ridiculous  is  looked  for, 
and  when  a  tramp  is  wheeled  on  a  hand  truck 
into  a  drawing  room  filled  with  guests  in  even- 
ing dress,  it  calls  for  roars  of  laughter;  but  in 
the  serious  drama  a  certain  amount  of  consist- 
ency is  looked  for.  The  stage  manager  will 
often  become  an  accessory,  and  allow  ''General 
Putnam,  the  Iron  Son  of  '76,"  to  stand  off  a 
body  of  British  soldiers  with  a  nickel-plated, 
self-acting  revolver,  which  was  not  invented 
until  many  years  after.  This  worthy  has  also 
been  known  to  present  as  the  house  of  the 
Borgias  a  modern  exterior,  the  perspective 
showing  a  lamp  post,  fire  hydrant,  a  well  paved 
street  and  telegraph  wires. 

What  excuse  can  be  offered  by  a  manage- 
ment that  will  allow  a  high  desk  to  be  placed  on 
a  platform  in  Herald  Square,  and  turn  that  busy 


Driftwood  of  the  Stage.  59 

thoroughfare  into  a  slave  market?  To  see 
Simon  Legree  examine  the  teeth  and  feel  the 
muscles  of  a  lot  of  shackled  negroes,  crack  his 
whip  at  the  meddlesome  Marks,  and  then  lean 
up  against  one  of  the  pillars  of  the  elevated  rail- 
way while  he  outbids  everybody  in  the  neigh- 
borhood, is  asking  a  little  too  much  of  the 
audience  under  the  claim  of  stage  license. 

A  well  known  actor  wrote  a  military  play 
in  which  he  appeared  as  a  gruff  old  colonel. 
During  the  action  of  the  play  he  referred  to 
and  introduced  a  young  officer  in  the  cast  as 
lieutenant.  He  did  not  seem  to  know  that  in 
army  circles  an  officer  of  this  rank  is  referred  to 
as  mister  by  his  superiors,  nor  did  he  notice 
that  the  lieutenant's  sleeves  were  adorned  with 
a  sergeant's  chevrons.  Another  one  of  these 
military  playlets  was  spoiled  by  a  lack  of  at- 
tention to  detail.  The  play  was  of  the  time  of 
the  Mexican  war.  The  actor  cast  for  the  part 
of  a  major  of  artillery  wasely  sought  the  advice 
of  an  experienced  military  tailor,  who  from  the 
charts  of  that  period  provided  a  uniform  cor- 
rect in  every  particular,  worn  by  officers  of  that 
rank  and  branch  of  the  regular  service  at  the 
time.  Not  so  with  the  one  entrusted  with  the 
juvenile  part.    While  an  officer  of  inferior  rank 


6o  Driftwood  of  the  Stage. 


in  the  same  regiment  with  the  major  he  had 
ideas  of  his  own  as  to  miHtary  dress,  and  ar- 
rayed himself  in  a  uniform  of  varied  colors,  and 
the  epaulettes,  sashes  and  gaiter  tops  added  by 
him,  instead  of  looking  like  an  officer  in  the 
regular  army,  had  a  tendency  to  make  him  look 
more  like  a  drum  major  in  a  country  band. 

One  of  our  most  successful  playwrights 
introduced  a  sheriff  as  the  leading  character  in 
one  of  his  plays.  The  sheriff  wishes  to  resign 
and  the  resignation  is  sent  to  the  city  council 
for  action.  When  did  the  sheriff  become  a  city 
officer,  and  why  was  that  resignation  not  sent 
to  the  governor  of  the  state,  who  alone  had 
jurisdiction  ? 

For  many  years  we  were  visited  by  a  melo- 
drama which  exploited  the  daring  of  a  young 
fireman.  The  star  wore  the  regulation  uniform 
of  a  paid  fireman.  In  the  conflagration  scene 
he  is  first  on  the  ground,  followed  by  a  body 
of  men  dragging  an  old-time  hose-cart,  and 
attired  in  the  red  shirt  and  fire  hat  of  volunteer 
days.  In  the  last  act  he  informs  his  sweetheart 
that  he  has  been  promoted  for  bravery  at  the 
aforesaid  fire,  and  that  he  now  wears  the  uni- 
form of  a  fire  commissioner.  As  a  rule,  fire 
commissioners  are  selected  from  a  city's  solid 


Driftwood  of  the  Stage.  6i 

business  men,  and  some  would  bow  themselves 
gracefully  out  if  a  uniform  went  with  the 
position. 

In  the  machine-made  melodrama  will  be 
found  the  most  improbable  in  plays.  An  Eng- 
lish member  of  the  guild  gives  the  following 
example  of  his  ingenuity :  Among  the  frequent 
murders  in  his  play  is  one  by  the  tickling  tor- 
ture, but  the  villain  is  reserved  for  a  more 
picturesque  fate  than  that.  In  the  course  of 
the  play  he  has  fatally  stabbed  his  wife.  In  the 
last  act  his  pursuers  track  him  into  a  secret 
Egyptian  chamber  in  his  house.  Among  them 
is  a  detective,  who,  at  various  times,  disguises 
himself  as  a  priest,  a  visitor  to  a  massage  estab- 
lishment, and  a  maiden  aunt.  The  Egyptian 
chamber  is  dark  and  a  life-sized  marble  statue 
frightens  the  hiding  murderer.  When  he  dis- 
covers what  it  is  he  takes  a  hammer  to  demolish 
it,  but  the  figure  assumes  the  identity  of  his 
murdered  wife,  and  menacingly  stalks  toward 
him.  He  cowers  in  a  corner,  but  the  statue  that 
has  come  to  life  pursues  him  and  thrusts  a 
dagger  into  his  heart.  The  pursuers  break  in 
only  to  find  a  corpse  in  the  presence  of  a  marble 
avenger. 

Another  of  these  authors  tells  an  impossible 


I 


62  Driftwood  of  the  Sta^e, 

sort  of  a  story  in  an  impossible  sort  of  a 
manner.  Imagine  for  a  moment  a  mother  who 
has  just  quarreled  with  her  father,  and  who 
threatens  to  take  her  own  life  if  her  fond  parent 
tries  to  carry  out  his  threat  of  forcing  his  child 
to  marry  his  adopted  son,  who,  unknown  to 
him,  has  been  robbing  the  firm  of  which  the 
two  men  are  members.  The  younger  man  is 
discovered  altering  the  books  of  the  firm,  and 
when  questioned  by  the  senior  partner  the  youth 
stabs  his  benefactor,  who  immediately  falls 
dead.  The  son  leaves  the  place  and  the  body 
is  discovered  by  the  granddaughter  of  the  old 
man,  who  falls  over  his  body  and  asks  him  who 
did  it,  and  he  replies,  "Your  mother,  child, 
your  mother."  And  thus  it  is  arranged  that 
the  mother  is  arrested  and  held  for  trial  on  the 
charge  of  murder.  The  strongest  evidence 
against  her  is  the  fact  of  her  having  quarreled 
with  her  father  just  prior  to  his  death,  and  that 
there  was  some  blood  on  her  fingers  and  hand- 
kerchief when  the  body  was  discovered.  The 
only  missing  link  was  her  dagger,  which  the 
district  attorney,  who  loved  the  persecuted 
woman,  had  taken  from  her  and  concealed. 

In  the  last  act  of  the  improbable  story  the 
courtroom  is  shown,  and  after  the  usual  tedious 


Driftwood  of  the  Stage.  63 


dialogue  of  such  scenes  the  mother  is  about  to 
be  convicted  when  her  daughter  enters  and  pre- 
sents a  note  that  had  been  given  her  by  a  horse 
thief  on  his  way  to  the  penitentiary,  stating 
that  he  was  a  witness  to  the  kilUng  and  that 
the  adopted  son  was  the  guilty  party.  And 
then,  by  the  mercy  of  a  stage  Providence,  the 
villain  walks  to  a  conveniently  nearby  window 
and  succumbs  to  a  kindly  shaft  of  lightning 
from  the  heavenly  wings  above. 

Can  you  for  a  moment  imagine  an  author 
asking  an  audience  to  accept  the  following  with- 
out protest?  One  scene  in  his  play  shows  the 
death  chamber  at  Sing  Sing  prison,  and  the 
electric  chair  awaiting  its  victim.  In  an  ad- 
joining cell  sits  a  condemned  man  who  must 
die  at  daybreak,  reading  his  bible.  An  Irish 
guard  detailed  to  watch  him  breaks  the  silence 
with:  "It  seems  hard  for  a  fine  young  fellow 
like  that  to  die  for  a  murder  he  never  committed. 
He  hopes  for  a  pardon,  but  it  is  too  late.  He 
must  die  tomorrow.  It's  too  bad,  but  it  is  hard 
to  keep  a  good  man  down."  This  is  a  music 
cue,  and  after  a  chord,  the  jailer  steps  to  the 
footlights  and  sings  the  song,  ''It's  Hard  to 
Keep  a  Good  Man  Down."  For  an  encore  he 
sings  "Mr.    Dooley."      Soon  after  a  voice  is 


64  Driftwood  of  the  Staf^e. 

heard  without.  The  unfortunate  man  rises  to 
his  feet.  The  stone  walls  totter  and  fall,  and 
in  another  instant  his  faithful  sweetheart  rides 
into  the  death  chamber  on  the  back  of  a  foam- 
ing steed  and  hands  the  condemned  man  a 
pardon. 

In  a  production  of  *'The  Merchant  of 
Venice"  at  a  Chicago  theater,  a  room  in 
Portia's  house  is  illuminated  with  incandescent 
lamps.  Shylock  takes  snuff,  and  a  band  of 
serenaders  sing  the  Pilgrims'  chorus  from 
"Tannhauser"  as  they  float  down  the  canal. 

One  of  Chicago's  Ten,  Twenty,  Thirty  the- 
aters, where  they  seemed  to  be  absolutely  with- 
out fear  in  the  matter  of  productions,  was  to 
have  a  week  of  "Cyrano  de  Bergerac."  It  is 
related  that  when  the  stage  manager  first  an- 
nounced to  the  company  that  the  play  was  to 
go  on,  one  of  the  extra  ladies  employed  in  the 
theater  exclaimed :  "  'Cyrano  de  Bergerac' 
I've  never  seen  that  piece."  And  a  wise 
maiden  standing  next  to  her,  who  had  been 
associated  with  productions  in  that  particular 
abiding  place  of  the  classics  long  enough  and 
often  enough  to  feel  that  she  was  somewhat  of  an 
authority,  stopped  chewing  gum  and  observed: 
**Well,  if  I  seen  it  once  I  seen  it  a  dozen  times. 


Driftwood  of  the  Stage.  65 

Been  011  in  it  twict.  Personally,  I  think  it  was 
the  best  thing  that  was  ever  writ."  On  its 
presentation  one  of  the  actresses  had  what  is 
called  in  stage  parlance  ''an  entrance  ad  lib" — 
which  means  that  she  had  a  few  idle  seconds  to 
fill  in  with  any  bit  of  business  her  own  in- 
genuity might  suggest.  This  she  did  by 
caroling  a  few  bars  of  ''The  Marseillaise."  The 
manager  rushed  back  on  the  opening  night  and 
said,  "Young  woman,  do  you  know  that  you 
are  beating  the  flag  by  about  four  hundred 
years  ?" 

Of  the  importance  of  detail  in  the  drama  it 
is  told  how  Charlotte  Cushman  was  once  act- 
ing Meg  Merrilles,  when  Henry  Irving,  then 
a  young  actor,  was  in  the  cast.  In  one  scene, 
in  answer  to  Meg's  appeal  for  money,  it  was 
Mr.  Irving's  business  to  hand  her  his  purse, 
filled  with  broken  crockery,  then  the  stage 
substitute  for  the  coin  of  the  realm.  Miss 
Cushman  gently  suggested  to  him  the  superior 
truth  of  opening  the  purse,  selecting  a  coin  and 
giving  it  to  her.  No  matter  how  magnificent 
it  might  look,  argued  the  great  actress,  it  was 
hardly  natural  for  a  gentleman  to  hand  over 
a  full  purse  of  gold  to  a  crazy  mendicant. 

When  Sardou  ofiFered  to  the  public  his  play 


66  Driftwood  of  the  Stage. 

of  "Dante,"  a  piece  of  business  was  introduced 
which  called  for  a  rebuke  from  one  who  seemed 
well  versed  as  an  archaeologist  and  antiquarian, 
in  the  last  tragic  scene  at  Avignon  a  clock  case 
is  opened  by  the  hand  of  Dante,  and  a  pendu- 
lum in  the  form  of  Time  wielding  a  scythe  is 
revealed.  Unfortunately,  in  the  days  of  the 
great  poet  neither  the  pendulum  nor  a  clock 
cased  for  its  protection  had  been  invented.  At 
that  time  the  power  provided  by  the  weight 
escaped  through  the  action  of  a  balanced  bar, 
loaded  at  its  extremities.  No  clock  had  a 
pendulum  before  1657  —  336  years  after 
Dante's  death — in  which  year  was  devised  the 
short  or  bob  pendulum,  which  was  first  brought 
into  use  in  England  in  1661.  This  attribute  of 
the  train  of  wheels  that  served  to  mark  the  flight 
of  time  continued  until  1680,  when  the  long 
pendulum,  vibrating  in  a  smaller  arc,  and  with 
a  greater  regularity,  and  other  improvements — 
including  the  case  for  protection — were  intro- 
duced. Thus  a  Dutch  conceit  of  later  times 
forced  its  spectacular  way  into  Italian  drama. 

About  the  worst  on  record  was  a  production 
in  which  the  heroine,  reduced  to  poverty,  is 
found  living  in  a  bare  room  on  the  top  floor 
of  a  tenement  house.     A  single  chair  and  a 


Driftwood  of  the  Stage.  67 


pine  table,  on  which  are  a  pitcher  and  a  crust 
of  bread  is  all  that  can  be  seen.  The  villain 
enters,  and  his  advances  being  repulsed,  he 
leaves,  threatening  to  burn  the  house.  Smoke 
begins  to  fill  the  room.  The  lady  tries  the  door. 
It  is  locked.  She  rushes  to  the  window.  It  is 
so  high  no  one  on  the  street  can  hear  her  voice. 
The  telephone!  Through  this  instrument  she 
informs  the  outside  world  that  the  house  is  on 
fire,  and  help  arrives.  Just  think  of  it!  In  an 
apartment  of  this  kind  to  find  hanging  on  the 
wall  a  telephone  that  costs  at  least  twenty-four 
dollars  a  year,  payable  quarterly  in  advance ! 

A  Brooklyn  theater,  which  presented  the  bet- 
ter class  of  plays  with  a  carefully  selected  stock 
company,  offered  a  play  of  the  time  of  Na- 
poleon. The  opening  act  was  a  representation 
of  a  drawing-room  in  the  Hotel  Chautereine, 
Josephine's  residence  in  the  Rue  de  la  Vic- 
toire,  at  the  time  of  the  return  from  Egypt  in 
1799.  One  of  the  ladies  in  tlje  cast  is  discov- 
ered sitting  at  an  upright  piano,  and  runs  her 
fingers  idly  over  the  keys.  The  upright  piano  in 
a  setting  of  this  kind  was,  of  itself,  bad  enough, 
as  they  had  not  yet  commenced  making  that 
style  of  piano,  the  first  patent  for  an  upright 
piano  having  been  granted  in  the  latter  part  of 


68  Driftwood  of  the  Stage. 

1799,  but  its  cover  was  an  elaborate  silk  affair, 
the  side  toward  the  audience  advertising  in 
large  gold  letters  the  name  of  the  maker.  It 
was  indeed  a  grand  sight  to  see  Talleyrand, 
Murat,  the  Bonapartes,  and  the  dignitaries  of 
the  church  talking  of  the  affairs  of  state  and 
the  conquest  of  nations  about  an  upright  piano 
manufactured  a  hundred  years  later  in  a  small 
hamlet  on  Long  Island. 


Driftzvood  of  the  Stage.  69 


FAREWELLS  IN  "RICHELIEU." 


Even  to  those  who  take  more  than  a  passing- 
interest  in  theatrical  affairs,  it  may  not  be 
known  that  four  of  our  most  famous  American 
tragedians  were  compelled  to  end  their  dramatic 
careers  and  say  farewell  to  their  admirers  in  the 
play  of  "Richelieu."  It  indeed  seems  strange 
that  these  actors  should  unintentionally  have 
selected  for  their  retirement  a  play  that  presents 
one  of  the  noblest  figures  on  the  stage — the 
solitary  old  man  who  remembers  his  lost  youth 
and  the  dying  friend  who  committed  a  daughter 
to  his  paternal  care — the  unselfish  heart  grown 
old  in  sorrow^  without  the  least  hope  of  happi- 
ness for  itself,  lovingly  striving  for  the  hap- 
piness of  others. 

Even  this  grand  character,  a  noble  and 
touching  image  of  righteous  power  protecting 
innocent  w^eakness,  could  not  escape  the  bur- 
lesquers.  On  January  9,  1871,  Edwin  Booth 
presented  "Richelieu"  at  his  own  theater  in 
New  York,  which  was  revived  with  such 
splendor  of  scenery,   costumes  and  stage  em- 


yo  Driftwood  of  the  Sta^e.         , 

bellishments  that  had  never  before  been  dis- 
played. This  play  was  kept  on  for  forty-eight 
performances,  and  during  its  run,  in  February, 
1 87 1,  George  L.  Fox  presented  a  burlesque  of 
Mr.  Booth's  Richelieu  at  the  Olympic  Theater 
in  the  same  city.  Jennie  Yeamans,  then  known 
aj^  an  infant  phenomena,  played  the  part  of 
Joseph,  and  assisted  Mr.  Fox  as  the  Cardinal 
in  drawing  with  a  piece  of  chalk  the  awful  circle 
of  the  Tammany  Ring  around  the  form  of  Lillie 
Eldridge  as  Julie.  The  text  was  followed 
closely  enough  to  preserve  the'  plot  of  the  story ; 
it  contained,  as  well,  a  great  deal  that  was  ludi- 
crous and  bright,  and  it  never  sank  into  im- 
becility or  indelicacy,  which  is  saying  much  for 
a  burlesque. 

Edwin  Forrest,  under  whose  influence  the 
American  stage  began  to  assume  a  distinctive 
character,  closed  his  dramatic  career  on  April 
2,  1872,  at  the  Globe  Theater,  Boston,  appear- 
ing as  Richelieu.  Mr.  Forrest  obtained  the 
most  of  his  popularity  and  large  fortune  by  his 
masterly  impersonation  of  the  Indian  Chieftain 
Metamora,  but  his  Richelieu  was  always  a  grand 
performance.  Mr.  Forrest  was  the  original 
Richelieu  in  this  country.  He  played  the  part 
first  at  Wallack's  National  Theater,  New  York, 


Driftwood  of  the  Stage. 


71 


in  1841,  supported  by  Corson  W.  Clarke, 
George  W.  Jamieson,  and  J.  W.  Wallack,  Jr. 
The  part  of  Julie  was  acted  by  Virginia  Monier. 
He  received  the  manuscript  from  Mr.  Bulwer 
direct  for  production  in  America,  and  brought 
it  out  simultaneously  with  its  original  produc- 
tion by  Mr.  Macready  at  the  Covent  Garden, 
London.  Richelieu  was  the  last  part  played 
by  Mr.  Forrest  in  New  York.    On  February  6, 

1 87 1,  he  commenced  an  engagement  of  three 
weeks  at  the  Fourteenth  Street  Theater,  New 
York,  playing  five  nights  a  week.  He  repre- 
sented Lear  for  ten  nights,  and  on  the  19th  of 
the  same  month  he  appeared  as  Richelieu,  but 
he  was  too  much  broken  in  health  to  portray 
even  the  feeble  Cardinal.  He  struggled  through 
it  for  a  night  or  two,  broke  down  completely, 
and  the  house  was  closed.     On  December  7, 

1872,  he  made  his  last  pubHc  appearance,  giving 
a  reading  of  "Othello"  at  the  Tremont  Temple, 
Boston. 

Mr.  Forrest  was  a  native  of  Philadelphia, 
and  made  his  first  professional  appearance  on 
the  stage  of  the  South  Third  Street  Theater  at 
that  city.  His  professional  career  extended 
over  a  period  of  fifty  years,  during  half  of 
which  he  was  the  leading  tragedian  of  America, 


^2  Driftwood  of  the  Sta^e. 

and,  perhaps,  the  world.  It  was  in  1845,  at 
the  Princess'  Theater,  London,  in  the  character 
of  Macbeth,  that  Mr.  Forrest  was  hissed,  and 
he  was  refused  permission  to  play  "The  Lady 
of  Lyons"  and  "Richelieu"  by  Mr.  Bulwer,  as 
Mr.  Macready  had  been  successful  in  those 
plays.  This  indignity  he  ascribed  to  Mr. 
Macready,  and  an  incident  that  precipitated,  on 
Mr.  Macready's  appearance  in  America  some 
time  later,  the  New  York  Astor  Place  riot. 

During  his  career  all  sorts  of  tokens  of  ap- 
preciation were  showered  upon  him.  He 
inspired  as  well  as  paid  the  dramatists  of  his 
time,  and  the  poets  paid  him  tribute ;  medals  were 
cast  in  his  honor,  and  busts  of  him  were  made. 
And  his  acting  won  direct  and  even  extrava- 
gant eulogy,  not  only  at  home,  but  even  in 
England — although  there  his  controversy  with 
Mr.  Macready  raised  up  a  multitude  against 
him,  for  Mr.  Macready  at  home  had  a  following 
as  great  as  Mr.  Forrest  at  home. 

On  the  east  side  of  South  Third  Street, 
midway  between  Walnut  and  Spruce  Streets, 
Philadelphia,  stands  St.  Paul's  Protestant 
Elpiscopal  Church,  an  old  brick  structure,  dating 
back  to  1760.  It  is  surrounded  by  open  space, 
paved  with  brick,  and  on  the  north  and  south 


Driftzvood  of  the  Stage.  73 


sides  are  long  lines  of  family  vaults,  where 
repose  the  bones  of  many  men  who  have  left 
their  mark  in  the  history  of  the  Quaker  City. 
The  front  is  screened  by  a  thick  wall  of  brick, 
with  three  large  wrought  iron  gates,  through 
which  a  view  can  be  had  of  the  church  from  the 
street.  On  the  south  side  of  the  church,  the 
fifth  from  the  gate,  is  the  vault  of  Edwin  For- 
I  est,  one  of  the  greatest  tragedians  and  ex- 
ponents of  Shakespeare  that  the  world  has  ever 
known.  A  slab  lies  flat  over  the  aperture  to 
the  vault,  and  no  ostentatious  monument  rears 
its  columns  to  make  a  distinction  in  death. 
The  grave  of  the  tragedian  is  simple  and  gives 
no  indication  of  his  stormy  and  eventful  career. 
He  died  at  his  home  at  Philadelphia,  December 
12,  1872.  All  of  his  kith  and  kin  passed  away 
before  he  himself  was  laid  away  in  his  family 
vault,  and  his  grave  is  seldom  visited. 

Edmon  S.  Conner,  who  made  his  first  pro- 
fessional appearance  as  Young  Norval,  in 
^'Douglas,"  at  the  Walnut  Street  Theater, 
Philadelphia,  March  23,  1829,  brought  his 
dramatic  career  to  a  close  at  the  Opera  House, 
Patterson,  N.  J.,  in  the  spring  of  1885,  when 
he  played  Richelieu  for  the  1113th  time.  It 
was  a  favorite  with  him  in  his  early  days,  and 


74  Driftwood  of  the  Sta^e. 

lemained  a  favorite  to  the  end  of  his  career. 
1::  is  stated  that  he  never  witnessed  a  perform- 
ance of  this  play.  He  died  at  Rutherford,  N. 
J.,  December  15,  1 891,  in  the  ninety-second  year 
of  his  age.  His  funeral  took  place  at  *'The 
Little  Church  Around  the  Corner,"  and  the 
interment  was  in  the  family  plot  in  Evergreen 
Cemetery,  Brooklyn,  N.  Y. 

Thomas  W.  Keene,  by  reason  of  illness,  was 
compelled  to  end  his  dramatic  career  at  the 
Grand  Opera  House,  Toronto,  Canada,  May 
23,  1898,  the  bill  being  '^Richelieu."  The  ill- 
ness proved  fatal,  and  he  passed  away  June  i, 
1898,  at  his  home  at  Castleton  Corners,  Staten 
Island,  N.  Y. 

Mr.  Keene  possessed  a  versatility  which  was 
unusual,  and  he  was  equally  at  home  in  tragedy 
and  melodrama.  One  of  his  best  impersona- 
tions was  Richard  HI.  When  he  acted  him,  he 
was  consistent,  and  his  dressing  of  the  part 
was  particularly  careful  and  rich.  For  over 
a  quarter  of  a  century  he  was  a  favoite  with 
the  playgoing  public,  and  with  a  limited  reper- 
tory he  preserved  a  hold  upon  their  affections 
equal  to  that  which  has  been  enjoyed  by  the 
most  brilliant  lights  in  the  theatrical  world.   He 


JUWA  Mari^owe. 


Driftwood  of  the  Stage.  75 

now  peacefully  sleeps  in  a  little  cemetery  within 
sight  of  his  former  home. 

John  McCullough  held  his  last  rehearsal  at 
McVicker's  Theater,  Chicago,  September  30, 
1884.  The  great  tragedian  had  called  a  re- 
hearsal of  ''Richelieu."  Never  was  a  sadder 
scene  enacted  in  a  theater.  It  was  a  mock 
rehearsal.  It  had  barely  commenced  before  he 
strayed  off  into  the  fourth  act,  where  the  de- 
crepit Cardinal-statesman  is  intercepted  in  the 
Garden  of  the  Louvre  by  Baradas.  The  arch 
plotter  says  to  his  companions :  "His  mind  and 
life  are  breaking  fast." 

The  tottering  churchman,  overhearing  him, 
turns  with  reviving  energy  and  cries : 

"Irreverent   ribald! 
If  so,  beware  the  falling  ruins!     Hark! 
I  tell  thee,  scorner  of  these  whitening  hairs. 
When   tliis   snow   melteth   there    shall   come   a   flood! 
Avaunt!     My  name  is  Richelieu!     I  defy  thee!" 

As  he  uttered  these  words  his  voice  rang  out 
like  a  trumpet.  A  moment  later  he  turned  and 
left  the  theater.  Every  one  present  was  in  tears. 
Half  an  hour  later,  at  his  hotel,  this  fine  actor 
was  told  he  must  take  a  rest. 

Mr.  McCullough  made  his  last  appearance 
before    an    audience    at    McVicker's    Theater, 


76  Driftwood  of  the  Stage. 

Chicago,  September  29,  1884,  as  Spartacus,  in 
"The  Gladiator."  He  made  his  first  appearance 
on  the  stage  at  the  Arch  Street  Theater,  Phila- 
delphia, as  Thomas,  in  "The  Belle's  Strata- 
gem." He  traveled  with  Edwin  Forrest  as  his 
principal  support  for  some  time,  and  went  to 
California  with  him.  Was  co-manager  with 
Lawrence  Barrett  in  the  opening  of  the  Bush 
Street  Theater,  San  Francisco,  in  January, 
1869.  At  the  time  of  his  retirement  Mr.  Mc- 
Cullough  was  suffering  from  a  nervous  dis- 
order, and  his  physicians  ordered  a  complete 
rest.  His  health  did  not  mend,  however,  and 
he  died  November  8,  1885.  He  is  buried  be- 
neath an  elegant  monument  in  Mt.  Moriah 
Cemetery,  Philadelphia.  The  monument  repre- 
sents in  bronze  Mr.  McCullough  as  Virginius. 
Lawrence  Barrett  began  his  theatrical  career 
as  a  supernumery  at  the  National  Theater,  De- 
troit, Mich.,  in  1852.  The  first  speaking  part 
given  him  was  that  of  Murat  in  "The  French 
Spy."  He  made  his  last  appearance  on  the  stage 
at  the  Broadway  Theater,  New  York,  on  the 
evening  of  March  18,  1891,  in  the  play  of 
"Richelieu."  Edwin  Booth  acted  the  Cardinal, 
and  Mr.  Barrett  De  Mauprat.  When  Mr.  Bar- 
rett arrived  at  the  theater  that  evening  it  was 


Driftwood  of  the  Stage.  yy 

noticed  that  he  was  ill,  and  although  urged  to 
go  home,  he  insisted  on  playing.  He  managed 
to  get  as  far  as  the  end  of  the  third  act,  when 
he  said :  '1  cannot  go  on." 

It  was  announced  that  Mr.  Barrett  was  ill, 
and  another  member  of  the  company  would 
finish  the  performance.  In  1886  he  formed  a 
professional  alliance  with  Edwdn  Booth  and 
became  his  manager.  That  season  each  of  them 
headed  separate  companies,  but  Mr.  Barrett  di- 
lected  both  tours.  The  following  season,  which 
began  at  Buffalo,  N.  Y.,  September  12,  1887, 
the  two  tragedians  acted  together,  beginning 
with  a  production  of  "Julius  Csesar."  The 
combination  lasted  until  the  death  of  Mr.  Bar- 
rett. He  died  at  New  York,  March,  20,  1891, 
and  four  days  later  was  laid  to  rest  at  Cohasset, 
Mass. 

Edwin  Booth,  whose  first  appearance  on  the 
stage  occurred  at  the  Boston  Museum,  Sep- 
tember 10,  1849,  as  Tressil  in  "Richard  III.," 
brought  his  dramatic  career  to  a  close  at  the 
Academy  of  Music,  Brooklyn,  N.  Y.,  April  4, 
1 89 1,  in  the  character  of  Hamlet.  He  spent 
the  most  of  his  time  after  this  at  the  Players' 
Club,  where  he  had  his  residence.  He  was 
stricken  with  paralysis  on  April  19,  1893,  and 


78  Driftwood  of  the  Sta^e. 

lingered  in  this  condition  until  June  7,  when 
he  died.  His  funeral  took  place  June  9,  at 
"The  Little  Church  Around  the  Corner," 
Bishop  Potter  and  the  Rev.  Dr.  George  H. 
Houghton  conducting  the  services. 

On  the  morning  of  the  funeral,  The  Players 
assembled  at  their  club  house,  16  Gramercy 
Park,  New  York,  to  pay  the  last  tribute  to  their 
fellow-member.  Many  spectators  had  congre- 
gated in  the  street  and  all  uncovered  their  heads 
a?  the  hearse  passed.  The  funeral  procession 
was  led  by  two  carriages  containing  the  pall 
bearers.  Then  came  the  hearse  and  behind  it 
followed  the  carriages  of  the  family  and 
friends.  Last  of  all  walked  The  Players,  led 
by  James  Lewis,  the  comedian,  and  Judge 
Joseph  F.  Daly.  The  procession  moved  from 
Gramercy  Park  through  Twenty-first  Street  to 
Fifth  Avenue;  up  Fifth  Avenue  to  Twenty- 
seventh  Street;  through  Twenty-seventh  Street 
to  Madison  Avenue;  up  Madison  Avenue  to 
Twenty-ninth  Street,  and  westward  on  Twenty- 
ninth  Street  to  "The  Little  Church  Around  the 
Corner."  At  the  church  gate  it  was  met  by 
Bishop  Potter  and  his  assistants. 

The  casket  bore  this  inscription :  "Edwin 
Booth.    Born  November  13,  1833.    Died  June 


Driftwood  of  the  Stage.  79 

7,  1893."  A  wreath  of  laurel  tied  with  purple 
ribbons  rested  on  the  lid,  and  a  wreath  of  laurel, 
white  roses  and  palms  was  carried  behind  it, 
when  it  was  borne  into  the  church.  The  pall 
bearers  were  Joseph  Jefferson,  Albert  M. 
Palmer,  Charles  P.  Daly,  Eastman  Johnson, 
Horace  Howard  Furness,  William  Bispham 
and  Thomas  Bailey  Aldrich.  Parke  Godwin  had 
been  named  as  a  pall  bearer,  but  was  unable  to 
attend.  Many  floral  pieces  were  placed  on  the 
altar.  After  the  funeral  ceremony  was  ended 
the  cortege  proceeded  to  the  Grand  Central 
station,  whence  the  body  was  conveyed  to  Bos- 
ton. On  arrival  of  the  train  at  Boston,  still 
another  numerous  company  .  was  assembled. 
There  were  present  Harry  M.  Pitt,  Napier 
Lothian,  Jr.,  George  W.  Wilson  and  many 
other  members  of  the  dramatic  profession,  who 
escorted  the  body  to  its  last  resting-place.  The 
grave  of  Mr.  Booth  is  in  Anemone  Path,  near 
Spruce  Avenue,  Mt.  Auburn.  He  was  laid 
beside  his  first  wife,  Mary  Devlin.  The  re- 
mains of  his  infant  son  Edgar,  child  of  his 
second  wife,  Mary  F.  McVicker,  are  also  buried 
there.  The  spot  is  marked  by  a  handsome 
monument. 


8o  Driftwood  of  the  Stag^e. 


SAWDUST  AND  SPANGLES. 


There  is  a  season  in  the  year  when  the  worthy 
villager  will  retire  to  rest  at  night  and  in  the 
morning  find  that  mammoth  spreads  of  canvas 
have  sprung  up  on  the  green  as  if  by  magic. 
He  has  slept  while  hustling  men  have  stolen 
into  town  and  taken  possession  of  it.  Soon 
there  is  music,  then  a  parade,  and  a  little  later 
the  ticket  wagon  opens.  The  performances  go 
off  merrily  to  the  music  of  the  band  and  the 
crackle  of  peanuts.  Night  comes  on  and  the 
showman  and  his  world  of  wonders  disappear 
as  magically  as  they  came. 

It  is  safe  to  say  that  all  the  world  loves  a 
cjrcus,  and  there  is  nothing  in  the  amusement 
line  that  can  so  thoroughly  stir  up  the  individual 
or  that  can  turn  a  community  topsy-turvy  so 
successfully.  Nevertheless,  in  some  sections  of 
the  country  prejudice  against  the  circus  is  so 
pronounced  that  licenses  to  exhibit  cannot  be 
obtained  at  all,  and  in  some  places  the  fee  is  put 
ac  so  high  a  figure  as  to  make  it  absolutely 
prohibitive. 


Driftwood  of  the  Stage.  8i 

It  once  occurred  that  New  Brunswick,  N.  J., 
aldermen  found  out  what  it  means  to  run 
counter  to.  public  opinion.  During  the  winter 
the  aldermen  revised  the  ordinances  of  the  city 
and  fixed  the  license  fee  for  circuses  at  $250. 
People  did  not  think  much  about  circuses  then, 
but  when  the  good  old  summer  time  came  round 
and  one  circus  after  another,  after  learning  of 
the  license  fee  at  New  Brunswick,  passed 
through  the  town,  going  from  Elizabeth  to 
Trenton,  or  from  Trenton  to  Elizabeth,  the  citi- 
zens awoke  to  the  extent  of  the  blunder  that 
had  been  committed. 

The  climax  came  when  the  Barnum  and 
Bailey  Circus,  after  billing  the  town,  changed  its 
route,  and  cut  out  the  city  with  the  $250  license 
fee.  Then  there  was  a  protest,  and  at  the  meet- 
ing of  the  board  of  aldermen  an  ordinance  was 
presented  reducing  the  license  fee  from  $250  to 
$125.  It  was  passed  without  a  dissenting  vote, 
while  a  crowd  of  New  Brunswickers  in  the 
lobby  cheered  wildly. 

An  institution  that  in  some  cases  represents 
a  capital  of  from  one  to  three  millions  of  dol- 
lars, employs  nearly  a  thousand  men, 
women  and  children,  with  average  daily  ex- 
penses of  from  three  to  five  thousand  dollars, 


82  Driftwood  of  the  Sta^e. 

which  spends  $i50,cxx)  annually  for  advertis- 
ing, and  can  comfortably  seat  from  eight  to 
twelve  thousand  persons,  is  a  great  industrial 
enterprise  demanding  study,  patronage  and  re- 
spect. 

There  is  nothing  in  the  world  that  makes 
money  faster  with  success,  or  loses  it  quicker 
without  it,  than  the  circus.  A  bad  day  means 
a  severe  loss  and  a  good  day  means  the  receipt 
of  from  five  to  six  thousand  dollars.  When 
there  comes  a  hurricane  or  a  railway  accident 
which  kills  ofif  the  animals  in  the  menagerie, 
depletes  the  working  stock,  and  perhaps  rips 
many  of  the  tents  into  shreds,  the  show  must 
lay  off  for  a  time  with  consequent  losses,  until 
repairs  are  made  and  new  stock  purchased. 
Many  a  show  has  been  almost  wiped  out  by  a 
railroad  wreck,  and  yet  in  a  few  weeks  again 
found  thoroughly  equipped  and  moving  along 
filling  dates  as  if  nothing  had  happened.  The 
reason  for  this  quick  recuperation  is  that  all 
first-class  organizations  have  on  hand  dupli- 
cates of  almost  everything  necessary  for  just 
such  emergencies.  A  hurry  call  will  bring  new 
tents,  new  wagons  and  cages  to  replace  the 
damaged  ones.  Dealers  who  make  a  business 
of  supplying  museums  and  circus  menageries 


Driftwood  of  the  Stage.  83 

with  animals  ship  a  new  supply  from  monkeys 
to  elephants. 

Marvelous  discipline  is  necessary  to  keep  this 
little  army  ir\  allignment.  Few  have  any  idea 
of  the  skillful  diplomacy  necessary  to  keep  the 
hundred  performers  in  perfect  harmony,  one 
with  another. 

It  is  when  a  storm  occurs  during  a  perform- 
ance that  the  need  of  strict  discipline  is  shown. 
At  the  first  sight  of  threatening  clouds  the  men 
are  quietly  given  their  orders.  There  is  no  con- 
fusion, each  one  knowing  just  what  is  required 
of  him.  The  cages  of  the  animals  are  boarded 
up  so  that  their  cries  will  not  alarm  the  aud- 
ience, and  the  elephants  are  led  out  into  the 
open,  as  they  will  stampede  if  left  confined  in 
the  tent.  When  a  storm  descends  on  the  circus 
tent,  it  very  often  causes  a  panic,  and  these 
fearless  men  are  always  prepared  for  such  an 
emergency.  A  couple  of  hundred  of  them  will 
distribute  themselves  among  the  people  to  as- 
sure  them  of  safety,  and  a  hundred  more  stand 
ready  to  let  down  the  side  walls  and  clear  away 
sections  of  seats  to  give  as  many  exits  as 
possible. 

In  such  trying  times  much  depends  on  the 
way  the  audience  is  handled.     The  darkness. 


84  Driftwood  of  the  Sta^e. 

the  howling  of  the  storm,  the  roar  of  the  water 
on  the  canvas,  the  snapping  of  ropes,  the 
crashing  of  seats,  the  falling  of  paraphernalia, 
the  cries  of  women,  the  howls  of  men  and  wail- 
ing of  children.  Add  to  this  a  picture  of  several 
thousand  distracted  people,  plunging  and  run- 
ning, crawling  and  groveling,  some  making  for 
the  center,  others  trying  in  vain  to  reach  a  place 
of  safety  undej  the  seats,  and  one  has  some 
faint  idea  of  the  seething  confusion  that  would 
happen  if  it  were  not  for  the  coolness  and  firm- 
ness of  those  in  charge. 

The  employes  are  also  expected  to  be  ready 
to  fight  at  a  moment's  notice.  When  a  crowd 
inclines  to  be  troublesome  and  gets  beyond  con- 
trol of  the  regular  officers,  a  signal  is  given,  and 
it  is  every  man's  duty  to  grab  a  stake  or  some 
handy  weapon  and  stand  by  to  protect  the  pro- 
perty of  the  company.  The  old  saying  that  it 
sounds  better  to  hear  people  say  "There  he 
goes"  than  "Here  he  lies"  does  not  go  with  the 
circus. 

Without  a  doubt  the  most  appreciative  aud- 
ience that  ever  witnessed  a  circus  performance 
v/as  the  one  assembled  at  the  State's  Prison, 
Jackson,  Mich.,  in  August,  1902,  when  John 
Robinson's  Circus  gave  the  first  complete  circus 


Driftwood  of  the  Stage.  85 

performance  ever  presented  within  the  walls  of 
a  state  prison,  and  over  eight  hundred  convicts 
enjoyed  the  program.  The  performers  re- 
quested Warden  Vincent  to  be  allowed  to  give 
a  portion  of  the  regular  show,  and  upon  leave 
being  granted,  a  ring  was  roped  off  within  the 
enclosure  and  an  exhibition  lasting  about  an 
hour  highly  pleased  the  assembled  convicts,  who 
sat  on  the  grass  about  the  ring.  John  Robin- 
son himself  was  in  charge  of  the  unique  per- 
formance, which  consisted  of  a  slack  wire  act, 
the  regular  tumbling  program  of  the  show  and 
an  exhibition  of  trained  animals.  The  enter- 
tainment wound  up  with  a  three-round  boxing 
contest  between  Tommy  Wilson  and  Chin 
Fong,  a  Chinese  boxer  of  the  American  school. 
This  country  has  known  many  severe  attacks 
on  the  circus.  As  a  rule,  these  onslaughts  are 
made  by  ruffians  who  have  been  called  to  order 
by  those  in  charge  for  the  welfare  of  other 
patrons.  Students  in  the  towns  where  colleges 
are  located  give  much  trouble,  and  then  there  is 
the  bully  who  will  try  and  force  his  way  in 
without  a  ticket.  Great  care  must  be  used  in 
handling  disturbers.  Courteous  but  firm  treat- 
ment is  first  used,  and  if  that  fails  then  force 
must  be  resorted  to.      The    slightest    incident 


86  Driftwood  of  the  Sta^e. 

might  be  the  cause  of  serious  trouble,  much 
damage  to  property  and  perhaps  loss  of  life. 

The  most  serious  attack  on  the  circus  was 
that  made  on  the  John  Robinson  show  at  Jack- 
sonville, Texas,  in  1872.  Thousands  of  dollars 
of  damage  was  done  the  belongings  of  the  com- 
pany. Many  lives  were  lost,  and  the  list  of 
wounded  ran  up  in  the  hundreds.  It  was  long 
before  the  show  recovered  from  the  damage 
done  to  the  stock,  wagons  and  canvas,  as  they 
were  compelled  to  cancel  many  dates  until  re- 
pairs were  made,  new  stock  purchased  and  the 
ranks  filled  with  new  recruits. 

The  Wallace  show  while  exhibiting  at  Mt. 
Carmel,  Pa.,  was  attacked  by  a  party  of  miners 
who  tried  to  force  their  way  in  without  tickets. 
Persuasion  was  tried,  but  it  seemed  to  be  of  no 
use.  A  force  of  employes  prevented  their  en- 
trance, and  the  miners  took  out  knives  and 
Started  to  cut  the  canvas.  The  management 
saw  something  had  to  be  done  and  done  quickly. 
The  whistle  was  blown,  every  employe  yelled 
'*Hey,  Rube!"  and  a  fight  was  on.  It  took  the 
offenders  but  a  short  time  to  realize  that  the 
company  was  ready  at  all  times  to  protect  its 
property. 

Several  encounters  have  taken  place  between 


Driftwood  of  the  Stag^e.  87 

the  students  and  show  people  at  Ann  Arbor, 
Mich.  An  attack  was  made  on  the  Forepaugh 
show  at  this  place  in  1882,  in  which  many  were 
injured,  but  the  fight  between  the  students  and 
the  same  company  a  few  years  later  was  a  ter- 
rible conflict,  resulting  not  only  in  the  destruc- 
tion of  much  property,  but  in  the  loss  of  several 
lives,  and  scores  of  wounded.  The  fight  started 
by  an  usher  asking  two  of  the  college  boys  to 
cease  annoying  some  persons  in  the  audience 
who  had  complained  of  their  actions.  Their 
defiance  to  the  officers  was  followed  by  their 
expulsion.  After  the  performance  a  large  crowd 
of  the  students  attacked  the  showmen,  but  were 
beaten  back.  Later  they  returned  with  rein- 
forcements, and  when  the  tent  was  dropped  a 
rush  was  made  across  the  fallen  canvas  and  as 
they  ran  poured  acid,  burning  and  practically 
ruining  it.  When  the  circus  train  pulled  out 
they  threw  missiles  at  the  cars,  breaking  the 
windows  and  injuring  several  performers  who 
were  asleep  at  the  time. 

The  Barnum  and  Bailey  Circus,  while  ex- 
hibiting at  Beziers,  France,  was  the  cause  of  a 
serious  riot,  in  which  many  were  injured.  The 
crowd,  seeking  admissiqp  to  the  performance 
was  greater  than  the  tent  could  accommodate, 


88  Driftwood  of  the  Stage. 

and  those  who  were  unable  to  enter  began  ston- 
ing the  circus  employes,  five  of  whom  were  in- 
jured. The  crowd  numbered  about  seven 
thousand.  They  cut  the  tent  ropes,  and  several 
thousand  persons  forced  their  way  to  the  arena. 
The  police  were  powerless  to  check  them. 
Troops  were  called  out  and  restored  order,  fin- 
ally driving  the  rioters  away,  but  not  until 
much  damage  had  been  done  to  the  property 
of  the  company. 

For  many  years  there  was  an  unwritten  law 
prohibiting  a  circus  from  playing  at  Princeton, 
N.  J.  A  few  years  ago  Pawnee  Bill's  Wild 
West  visited  the  town  and  the  students  were 
determined  to  break  up  the  morning  parade. 
Obstructions  were  placed  in  the  streets,  mis- 
siles were  thrown  at  the  riders,  and  insulting 
remarks  made  to  the  women.  No  attention 
was  paid  to  the  actions  of  the  mob  until  one 
of  the  lady  riders  was  struck  by  a  stone  and 
knocked  from  her  horse.  The  town  authori- 
ties were  powerless,  and  st^ps  were  necessary 
for  their  own  safety.  The  signal  was  given  to 
turn  the  Indians,  Rough  Riders  and  bolo  men 
loose.  The  company  were  able  to  reach  the 
show  grounds,  but  noj  until  several  of  the  em- 
ployes were  badly  hurt. 


Driftwood  of  the  Stage.  89 

Some  years  ago  Sells  Brothers'  Circus  visited 
New  Haven,  Ct.  They  had  played  the  town 
the  year  before  and  were  badly  treated  by  the 
college  boys.  The  manager  was  informed  that 
an  attempt  would  be  made  to  break  up  the 
show,  and  it  was  arranged  to  give  them  a  warm 
reception.  A  section  of  seats  over  a  mud  pud- 
dle was  set  aside  for  their  use,  and  on  entering 
they  were  shown  to  these  seats  by  the  ushers. 
The  performers  were  instructed  to  pay  no  at- 
tention to  any  remarks  that  might  be  made, 
and  all  went  well  until  the  closing  act,  when 
the  crowd  began  throwing  missiles  into  the  ring 
to  scare  the  horses.  When  their  actions  got  be- 
yond control  a  force  of  employes  removed  the 
supports  from  this  section  of  seats  and  the  dis- 
turbers were  sent  floundering  in  the  mud.  This 
was  a  new  line  of  warfare,  and  there  was  no 
further  trouble. 

A  small  traveling  circus  was  touring  the 
south  and  had  pitched  its  canvas  in  a  lively 
Kentucky  town.  Those  were  the  days  when 
the  feudists  were  most  active,  and  a  movement 
ir.  the  direction  of  the  hip  pocket  was  liable  to 
result  disastrously.  The  town  had  one  par- 
ticularly "bad  man,"  who  was  said  to  be  as 
gentle  as  a  lamb  when  sober,  but  who  was  always 


90  Driftwood  of  the  Stage. 

looking  for  trouble  when  under  the  influence 
of  liquor,  which  was  a  greater  part  of  the  time. 
This  fellow  had  several  enemies,  the  ill-feeling 
having  grown  out  of  the  deplorable  family' 
feuds  ihat  have  so  stained  the  history  of  cer- 
tain parts  of  the  south.  He  was  in  prime  con- 
dition for  "shooting  up  the  town"  circus  day, 
and  he  thought  he  would  go  over  to  the  scene 
of  hilarity  and  stir  up  a  little  excitement. 

"I'll  jes'  go  up  thar  an'  tickle  th'  b'ars  a  bit," 
he  said,  as  he  lumbered  in  the  direction  of  the 
circus  grounds. 

Pretty  soon  the  fellow  swaggered  up  to  the 
entrance  and  started  to  go  in  without  the  for- 
mality of  presenting  a  ticket. 

"Hold  on,  there,"  said  the  big  man  at  the 
entrance,  "where's  yer  ticket,  pardner  ?" 

For  reply  the  "bad  man"  brushed  his  six- 
shooter  tantalizingly  in  front  of  the  nose  of  the 
ticket  man,  saying,  "  'Tain't  what  you  want 
that  does  ye  good ;  it's  what  ye  git — see !" 

Needless  to  say,  he  passed  into  the  circus 
without  a  ticket.  He  still  had  his  gun  in  full 
display  when  he  rolled  into  the  grounds.  There 
were  several  of  his  enemies  present,  and  when 
they  saw  him  with  his  gun  out  there  was 
promiscuous  firing.     Of  course,  there  was  an 


Driftwood  of  the  Sta^e.  91 

instant  panic  within  the  tent.  The  rush  for 
cover  brought  down  a  section  of  seats,  and 
during  the  excitement  many  women  fainted. 

To  add  to  the  terror  of  the  occasion  some 
of  the  performing  animals  broke  from  the  ring 
and  ran  away.  One  of  the  lady  riders  lost  her 
head  completely,  and  ran  helter-skelter  into  the 
middle  of  the  river  that  bordered  on  the  circus 
grounds.  She  was  up  to  her  neck  in  the  water 
when  the  excitement  subsided,  and  it  was  with 
some  difficulty  that  she  could  be  persuaded  to 
come  ashore.  The  count-up  revealed  no  fatali- 
ties, but  it  was  a  bad  day  for  that  circus. 


92  Driftzvood  of  the  Staf^e. 


SUPERSTITION  AND  SLANG. 


Actors  have  more  superstitions  than  any 
other  class  of  people.  Usually  they  attach  the 
utmost  importance  to  them,  and  circumstances 
often  arise  by  which  they  are  made  pitifully 
unhappy  by  reason  of  some  impending  calamity 
which  has  been  brought  about  by  an  inoppor- 
tune meeting  with  a  cross-eyed  man,  for  in- 
stance. The  really  intelligent  men  and  women 
of  the  profession  seem  to  be  as  hopelessly  tarred 
v/ith  the  stick  of  superstition  as  the  humblest 
of  the  lot.  Here  are  a  few  superstitions  that 
are  not  generally  known  to  outsiders. 

Whistling  by  one  member  of  a  company  in 
the  dressing  room  of  another  is  a  sure  sign  that 
the  company  will  close  its  season  suddenly. 
Coming  to  the  first  rehearsal  letter  perfect  in 
a  part  is  proof  eterne  that  you  will  stick  in  your 
lines  at  the  opening  performance. 

An  actor  will  not  walk  under  a  ladder  at  any 
time,  and  will  go  a  long  distance  out  of  his 
way  to  avoid  doing  so.  Humming  or  singing 
at  the  table  is  considered  more  of  a  sign  of  bad 


JAMKS  K.  HACKETT. 


Driftwood  of  the  Stage.  93 

luck  than  a  lack  of  good  manners.  Green 
paper,  green  tickets,  or  green  ink  used  in  the 
printing  is  always  looked  upon  with  suspicion. 
Nothing  will  scatter  a  party  of  actors  quicker 
than  a  load  of  empty  barrels  coming  towards 
them. 

The  wagon  show  has  a  superstition  entirely 
its  own.  If  they  should  pass  a  cemetery  on 
their  entrance  into  a  town,  it  means  much  to 
them,  and  will  say:  "Graveyard  to  the  right; 
good  house  to-night !"  Suspicion  of  bad  business 
follows  if  situated  on  the  left  of  the  road. 

Another  popular  superstition  is  that  a  rope- 
bound  trunk  is  a  sure  Jonah,  and  a  rope-bound 
trunk  will  not  be  tolerated  by  the  majestic 
persons  that  handle  the  baggage.  A  round- 
top  trunk  is  believed  to  be  one  of  the  biggest 
Jonahs  in  the  business.  Actors  will  never  pass 
each  other  on  a  stairway  if  it  can  be  avoided. 
The  one  who  has  made  the  most  progress  going 
up  or  down  is  given  the  right  of  way.  The 
other  will  step  back. 

Certain  things  which  are  all  right  during 
a  regular  performance  must  not  be  done  at 
rehearsal,  such  as  speaking  the  "tag"  or  last  line 
of  the  play.  To  whistle  in  the  dressing  room 
means  that  the  man  nearest  the  door  will  be 


94  Driftwood  of  the  Sta^e. 

sure  to  get  his  two  weeks'  notice.  If  the  figure 
3  is  seen  on  a  locomotive  the  actor  should  turn 
his  back  to  it.  Never  look  through  a  broken^ 
mirror.  Never  twirl  a  chair  about  on  one  of 
its  legs  on  the  stage.  Do  not  return  to  your 
dressing  room  if  anything  has  been  forgotten. 
Never  quote  "Macbeth"  in  the  dressing  room. 

It  is  considered  unlucky  to  leave  a  hat  on 
the  bed.  It  must  be  removed  and  hanged  else- 
where before  it  is  worn,  and  must  not  be 
touched  until  another  hat  is  on  the  wearer^s 
head.  A  terrible  calamity  is  supposed  to  be  the 
fate  of  any  person  who  would  put  a  pair  of 
shoes  on  a  bed,  even  if  they  were  in  the  original 
package. 

Nothing  will  so  stir  up  an  opera  company 
as  to  ascertain  that  there  is  a  corpse  in  the 
^^gg^g^e  car  of  the  train  on  which  they  are 
traveling.  With  the  circus  it  is  considered 
good  luck  to  have  a  hunchback  with  the  com- 
pany. It  is  considered  unlucky  to  have  two  of 
them  in  the  same  company.  A  company  of 
thirteen  members  means  that  three  of  them  will 
be  changed  before  the  season  ends.  Raising 
an  umbrella  in  a  play  is  a  sure  sign  that  all 
holiday  business  and  special  performances  for 
that  season  will  be  disastrously  affected  by  rain. 


Driftwood  of  the  Stag^e.  95 

The  member  of  a  company  that  carries  a  leather 
hat  box  is  looked  upon  as  a  trouble  breeder. 

The  first  ticket  taken  at  the  door  must  be  a 
paid  one.  No  complimentary  ticket  will  be  ac- 
cepted, some  excepting  a  hunchback  or  a  negro, 
until  one  that  has  been  purchased  is  in  the 
ticket  box.  The  yellow  clarionet  is  an  instrument 
prohibited  by  the  theatrical  world,  and  no  actor 
would  dare  to  bring  a  yellow  dog  to  the  theater. 
Some  hail  with  delight  the  serving  of  stewed 
prunes  for  supper,  their  presence  assuring  a 
full  house  that  night.  Others  claim  stewed 
prunes  means  bad  business.  When  an  actor 
accepts  a  dish  of  stewed  prunes  all  must  be 
eaten,  if  not,  bad  business  will  be  attributed  to 
him. 

The  actor  will  refuse  room  thirteen,  and 
hotels,  as  a  rule,  have  done  away  with  this 
number.  To  open  on  a  Friday  is  considered 
a  bad  omen.  Should  a  cat  wander  on  the  stage 
during  the  first  rehearsal  it  is  a  sign  of  success. 
If  it  happens  to  be  a  black  one,  it  is  petted,  fed 
and  encouraged  to  stay  around  the  place  while 
rehearsals  are  in  progress.  If  a  company 
should  meet  a  load  of  hay  while  on  parade,  it 
means  good  business  in  that  town.  If  a  funeral 
is  seen  coming    toward    them    the    parade  is 


g6  Driftwood  of  the  Sta^e. 

turned  up  a  side  street  or  an  alley  to  avoid 
meeting.  If  this  cannot  be  done,  the  parade 
is  dismissed,  the  members  separating  and  re- 
forming when  the  cortege  is  passed.  The  song 
"Marriage  Bells"  is  considered  a  Jonah  by 
nearly  the  entire  profession.  It  has  been  shown 
that  almost  every  person  who  used  or  sang  this 
song  had  a  sad  ending. 

Actors  have  been  known  to  avoid  companies 
that  carried  three  women.  A  gentleman  en- 
gaged ior  leading  business  handed  in  his  part 
at  the  first  rehearsal.  The  manager  asked  an 
explanation,  and  was  told  by  the  actor  that  a 
pleasant  season  could  not  be  looked  for  in  a 
company  in  which  were  three  women.  There 
was  always  trouble,  for  two  of  the  women  were 
sure  to  get  together  and  talk  about  the  other 

one. 

****** 

During  the  last  few  years  a  number  of  new 
words  and  expressions  have  been  coined  and 
added  to  the  bulky  dictionary  of  slang  in  use 
in  the  amusement  world. 

There  are  technical  terms  applied  to  the 
mechanics  and  the  paraphernalia  of  the  theater, 
but  these  are  not  slang  properly,  more  than  are 
the  names  for  tools  that  pass    current   in   any 


Driftwood  of  the  Sta^e.  97 

trade  in  which  they  are  used.  It  may  be  inter- 
esting to  know,  however,  that  stage  hands  are 
divided  into  classes,  there  being  ''grips," 
*  props"  and  ''clearers."  There  are  queer  but 
meaningfull  names  for  every  implement  used 
in  a  playhouse,  for  the  scenery  and  furniture, 
for  the  electric  lights  in  certain  positions,  for 
particular  dressing  rooms,  for  the  galleries  from 
which  the  "drops"  are  raised  and  lowered,  for 
the  members  of  the  orchestra,  and  for  every 
other  conceivable  thing  under  the  sun. 

To  those  in  professional  life  a  successful  pro- 
duction is  a  ''hit,"  and  a  failure  is  a  "frost." 
In  referring  to  good  business  it  is  said  "Wc 
stood  'em  up,"  and  being  denied  professional 
courtesies  by  a  manager  is  called  "turned 
down."  Schools  of  acting  are  called  "found- 
ries" by  those  who  have  entered  the  profession 
by  other  routes,  and  graduates  of  such  schools 
are  called  "castings." 

The  town  in  which  the  initial  performance 
of  a  play  is  given  is  called  "the  dog."  The  ex- 
pression "trying  it  on  the  dog"  means  the 
selection  of  a  nearby  one-night  stand  where  the 
play  can  be  properly  put  on  and  its  imperfec- 
tions noted.     An  outsider  who  backs  a  show 

is  an  "angel,"  the  smaller  cities  are  "tanks"  or 

7 


98  Driftwood  of  the  Sta^e. 

"jay  towns,"  and  the  manager  of  a  country 
opera  house  is  always  addressed  as  ''Frohman." 
A  complimentary  ticket  is  a  "fake,"  and  the 
deadheads  in  the  house  are  known  as  "skulls." 
Members  of  the  chorus  are  "the  bunch,"  and 
those  of  the  company  who  do  not  have  speak- 
ing parts  are  referred  to  as  "on  with  others." 

A  monologue  is  a  "string  of  talk,"  and  some- 
times is  called  "junk."  Theatergoers  who  do 
not  enthuse  over  an  offering  are  a  "cold  aud- 
ience," and  to  reflect  on  the  intelligence  of  an 
audience  they  say  "it  went  over  their  heads." 
Anything  used  on  the  stage  that  appeals  to  the 
patriotism  or  local  pride  of  an  audience  is  called 
a  "give  us  your  kind  applause."  The  principal 
street  in  a  one-night  stand  is  known  as  the  "main 
stem."  Colored  actors  are  called  "dingies." 
Those  who  play  Irish  parts  are  "harps,"  farmer 
characters  are  designated  as  "Rubes,"  and  a 
Hebrew  impersonator  is  a  "goose"  or  a  "Yid." 

A  tall  silk  hat  is  a  "Hi  Henry"  and  also  an 
"11:45."  I'he  latter  expression  is  derived 
from  the  fact  that  this  is  the  hour  the  minstrels 
don  their  silk  headgear  and  report  for  parade. 
If  the  hat  is  raised  for  a  salutation  it  is  called 
a  "high  sign."  An  evening  dress  suit  is  called 
a  "soup  and  fish"  and  a  discordant    note    is  a 


Driftwood  of  the  Stage.  '99 

"barber  shop."  Suggestive  lines  are  "ginger," 
and  the  old  time  minstrel  jokes  are  "oakum"  or 
"gravy."  The  callow  youth  who  is  inclined  to 
haunt  the  stage  door  is  a  "Johnny,"  and  those 
who  travel  with  a  company  and  are  not  con- 
nected with  it  are  termed  "excess  baggage." 

An  actor  who  has  lost  his  popularity  is  a  "has 
been"  and  one  who  has  a  tendency  to  overrate 
his  abiHty  is  "chesty."  Those  who  are  not 
considered  up  to  the  standard  are  liable  to  be 
called  a  "shine,"  and  an  unpopular  member  of 
a  company  is  generally  referred  to  as  a  "heel." 
The  term  "gold  brick"  is  sometimes  applied  to 
those  who  draw  more  salary  than  they  deserve. 
Those  who  submit  to  be  ruled  by  their  wives 
are  called  "Barnaby,"  and  are  spoken  of  as 
having  to  "jump  through."  This  expression 
refers  to  the  manner  in  which  trained  animals 
are  compelled  to  jump  through  hoops  and  other 
objects  at  the  command  of  the  master.  A 
person  who  suffers  for  the  faults  or  misdeeds 
of  others  is  called  a  "Patsy"  or  a  "Bolivar." 

0*ne  who  is  disposed  to  say  unkind  things 
about  a  fellow  actor  is  a  "knocker,"  and  a  well 
liked  member  of  a  company  is  an  "ace."  Money 
is  called  "cush"  and  an  intoxicated  person  is 
described  as  having  a  "bun."     One  inclined  to 


loo  Driftzvood  of  the  Stage, 

hi.  attentive  to  the  ladies  is  a  ''Romeo,"  and  to 
be  jilted  is  ''thrown  down."  To  say  they  are 
going  to  do  a  "Rip  Van  Winkle"  or  a  "Joe 
Jefferson"  is  a  declaration  to  have  a  good  long 
sleep. 

J}J  sj«  :i«  ^  sj«  ^ 

Circus  people  talk  a  jargon  that  would  be 
unintelligible  to  the  uninitiated.  To  those  in 
circus  life  the  manager  or  the  head  Of  any  en- 
terprise is  always  the  "main  guy,"  while  those 
in  subordinate  positions  are  simply  "guys." 
The  tents  are  called  "tops"  by  circus  men,  and 
they  are  subdivided  into  the  "big  top,"  the 
"animal  top,"  the  "kid  top,"  the  "candy  top," 
and  so  on.  The  side  show  where  the  Circassian 
girls,  fat  women  and  other  curiosities  known 
as  "freaks"  are  shown,  is  termed  the  "kid 
show,"  and  the  man  with  the  persuasive  voice 
who  seeks  to  entice  people  to  enter  is  known  as 
a  "barker"  or  a  "spieler."  What  he  is  telling 
his  listeners  is  called  a  "bally-hoo." 

The  men  who  sell  peanuts,  red  lemonade, 
palm  leaf  fans  and  concert  tickets,  are  known 
as  "butchers,"  while  that  class  of  circus  fol- 
lowers whose  methods  are  outside  of  the  pale 
of  the  law  are  "guns"  or  "grafters."  To  get  a 
person's  money  without  giving  an  equivalent 


Driftwood  of  the  St(^e!  \\  ,,:jLQi,,  ,  ,  •  . 

L.  -  _^_4_.l  |>  Uv^  ;\;  \  A 

is  to  "turn  them."  A  countryman  is  either  a 
**Rube"  or  a  'V^P-"  I'he  musicians  with  a 
circus  are  known  as  "wind  jammers,"  the  train- 
men, canvasmen  and  other  laborers  are  "razor- 
backs."  The  distance  from  one  town  to  an- 
other is  always  known  as  a  "jump."  The  show 
ground  is  called  the  "lot,"  and  the  dining  tent 
where  the  circus  people  get  their  meals  is  the 
"camp." 

An  acrobat  is  known  as  a  "kinker,"  and  all 
things  that  are  used  in  the  ring,  such  as  banners, 
hoops  and  the  like,  are  called  "objects."  Those 
who  lie  on  their  backs  and  juggle  children  on 
their  feet  are  "Risleys,"  and  if  other  objects  are 
balanced  on  the  feet  they  are  "barrel  kickers." 
Missing  an  attempted  feat  is  called  "blowing 
the  trick."  Of  a  discharged  person  they  say 
he  was  "canned."  Money  is  referred  to  as 
*'coin"  or  "dough,"  and  the  one  who  pays  the 
salaries  is  either  the  "ghost"  or  the  "man  in 
white."  A  trunk  is  called  a  "keester,"  and  a 
valise  is  a  "turkey."  To  get  away  quick  is  to 
do  a  "vamp,"  and  of  those  who  are  forced  to 
leave  they  say  "got  the  hurry." 

Those  who  have  been  long  in  the  business 
are  "old  landmarks,"  and  a  new  addition  to  the 
profession  is  either  a  "butt  in"  or  a  "Johnny 


,r,  wip^,,. ,        '^Driftwood  of  the  Stage. 

Newcomer."  Food  is  called  "chuck,"  and  they 
say  an  intoxicated  person  is  "soused."  A  fight 
is  a  "scrap,"  but  any  trouble  that  cannot  be 
handled  by  the  regular  officers  is  a  "mix-up," 
and  a  whistle  is  blown,  at  the  sound  of  which 
each  employe  grabs  a  stake  or  other  handy  wea- 
pon and  yells  "Hey,  Rube!'  which  is  the  call  to 
arms. 

A  proposed  victim  is  known  as  a  "sucker" 
to  the  confidence  men  who  follow  the  circus, 
and  "fanning  a  guy"  is  to  make  sure  he  has  no 
weapons  on  him  before  they  proceed  to  get  his 
money.  To  "frisk"  a  train  is  to  arm  a  lot  of 
husky  employes  with  stakes  and  search  the  cars 
for  "crooks"  and  "sure  thing"  men.  There  is 
no  chance  for  argument  at  this  time.  If  you 
see  one  of  these  worthies  leaving  in  a  hurry  and 
ask  him  where  he  is  bound,  he  will  generally  say : 
"To  the  tall  and  uncut." 


Driftwood  of  the  Stage.  103 


GRAVES  OF  THE  PLAYERS. 


The  burial  place  of  the  Booth  family  is  in 
Greenmount  Cemetery,  Baltimore,  Md.  The 
spot  is  marked  by  a  shaft  of  white  marble  that 
is  covered  with  thick,  clustering  ivy.  Junius 
Brutus  Booth  and  his  wife  (Edwin's  parents), 
John  Wilkes  Booth,  Asia  Booth  (Mrs.  John 
«S.  Clarke),  and  other  members  of  the  family 
are  buried  in  this  plot.  The  graves  .of  John 
E.  Owens  and  Walter  L.  Sinn  are  in  this  ceme- 
tery, and  not  far  distant.  Colonel  John  A.  Mc- 
Caull  is  at  rest  in  Bonnie  Brae  Cemetery  at  the 
same  city. 

In  Mt.  Moriah  Cemetery,  Philadelphia,  in 
the  Actors'  Order  of  Friendship  lot,  Edwin 
Adams  rests  beneath  a  small  granite  monument. 
Frank  Mayo,  Edwin  F.  Mayo,  and  George  S. 
Knight  are  interred  in  the  beautiful  Laurel  Hill 
Cemetery,  and  Harry  Murdoch,  whose  life 
went  out  so  sadly  in  the  terrible  Brooklyn 
Theater  fire,  is  buried  in  Woodlands  Cemetery 
at  the  same  city. 

Sol    Smith  Russell  is  buried  in  Rock  Creek 


I04  Driftwood  of  the  Stage. 

Cemetery,  Washington,  D.  C,  and  James  E. 
Murdoch  at  Cincinnati.  Frederick  Bryton, 
Harry  Eytinge  and  George  W.  Thompson  were 
laid  to  rest  in  Greenwood  Cemetery,  Brooklyn, 
N.  Y.,  and  Edward  Eddy,  long  a  metropolitan 
favorite,  lies  in  a  vault  in  St.  Ann's  Church- 
yard, New  York,  where  he  has  lain  neglected 
and  forgotten  for  many  years.  Milnes  Levick 
is  buried  in  the  same  churchyard. 

In  St.  Paul's  Churchyard,  New  York,  is  a 
monument  erected  to  the  memory  of  George 
Frederick  Cooke,  on  which  these  words  are  eq,- 
graved :  "Three  kingdoms  claim  his  birth;  both 
hemispheres  pronounce  his  worth."  Mr.  Cooke, 
who  was  the  first  star  to  appear  in  this  country, 
died  far  from  home,  September  26,  18 12. 
Edmund  Kean,  while  playing  in  this  country 
in  1 82 1,  erected  the  pillar  that  still  marks  the 
spot.  At  different  times  the  monument  has 
been  repaired.  In  1846  Charles  Kean,  who 
had  come  to  this  country  to  act,  repaired  the 
structure  his  father  had  erected.  Edward  A. 
Sothern  repaired  it  in  1874,  and  in  1890  Edwin 
Booth  again  put  it  in  repair. 

William  Warren  is  at  rest  in  Mt.  Auburn 
Cemetery,  Boston;  Mark  Smith,  Bellefontaine 
Cemetery,  St.  Louis:  James    H.    Love,    Holy 


Driftzvood  of  the  Stage.  105 

Cross  Cemetery,  San  Francisco,  Cal. ;  Edwin 
Clifford,  Oshkosh,  Wis.;  W.  J.  Chappelle, 
Great  Bend,  Pa.;  Harry  Mainhall,  Los  An- 
geles, Cal.;  Thomas  Evans,  Youngstown, 
Ohio;  Frank  Martin,  Milwaukee,  Wis.;  and 
Alden  Bass,  Williamston,  Vt. 

Thomas  W.  Davey,  who  was  the  first  man- 
ager that  Lawrence  Barrett  had  as  a  star,  and 
who  was  one  of  the  pioneer  managers  of  the 
west,  lies  buried  in  the  little  churchyard  at 
Sandwich,  Ont.  A  few  of  the  old  guard  who 
accompanied  him  on  that  bleak  last  journey,  on 
one  of  the  coldest  days  within  the  memory  of 
living  men,  in  December,  1879,  still  cherish  his 
memory  and  comfort  themselves  wath  the 
knowledge  that  in  this  case,  at  least,  the  good 
that  men  do  is  not  interred  with  their  bones. 
John  Ellsler,  the  veteran  actor  and  manager, 
was  laid  to  rest  in  Lakeview  Cemetery,  Cleve- 
land, Ohio. 

John  Gilbert,  after  sixty  years'  service  on 
the  stage,  was  laid  to  rest  in  Forest  Hill  Ceme- 
tery, Boston.  Charles  Fechter,  the  great 
French  tragedian,  passed  his  last  days  at  his 
farm  at  Rockland  Center,  Bucks  County,  Pa., 
where  he  died  August  5,  1879.  His  remains 
are  interred  in  Mount  Vernon  Cemetery,  Phila- 


io6  Driftwood  of  the  Stage. 

delphia,  and  over  the  grave  is  a  monument  bear- 
ing a  bust  of  Mr.  Fechter,  with  this  inscription : 
"Genius  has  taken  its  flight  to  God."  Charles 
Fisher  is  buried  in  Woodlawn  Cemetery,  New 
York,  and  George  W.  Jamieson  was  laid  to 
rest  in  a  little  cemetery  back  of  Yonkers,  N. 
Y.  Charles  A.  Garwood  is  buried  at  Atlanta, 
Georgia. 

Artemus  Ward  died  at  Southampton,  Eng- 
land. His  remains  were  brought  to  America 
and  interred  at  Waterford,  Maine.  Stephen 
C.  Foster,  who  gave  to  the  world  "Old  Folks 
at  Home,"  "Old  Black  Joe,"  and  many  other 
minstrel  melodies,  is  at  rest  at  Pittsburg,  Pa., 
and  a  handsome  monument  marks  his  grave. 
The  grave  of  Bill  Nye,  humorist,  is  in  the 
graveyard  of  a  country  church  near  Fletcher^ 
N.  C,  thirteen  miles  from  Asheville. 

The  monument  to  Shakespeare  in  Central 
Park,  New  York,  was  dedicated  May  23,  1872. 
The  ceremonies  began  at  three  o'clock  in  the 
afternoon,  with  Berlitz's  overture,  "King 
Lear,"  rendered  by  an  orchestra  of  one  hun- 
dred musicians.  Chief  Justice  Daly  made  the 
opening  address  and  presented  the  statue  to  the 
Park  Commissioners.  The  statue  was  then  un- 
veiled by  J.  Q.  A.  Ward,  the  sculptor,  and  J. 


Driftwood  of  the  Stage.  107 

Wray  Mould,  the  architect  of  the  pedestal.  The 
Arion  Society,  under  the  leadership  of  Dr. 
Leopold  Damrosch,  sang  Schiller's  "Invocation 
to  the  Artists — An  die  Runster."  The  Hon. 
Henry  G.  Stebbins,  President  of  the  Depart- 
ment of  Parks,  accepted  the  monument  for  the 
city.  Two  musical  numbers  by  the  orchestra 
and  the  Arion  Society  followed,  after  which 
William  Cullen  Bryant  delivered  the  oration  of 
the  day.  The  orchestra  again  rendered  an  over- 
ture, and  Edwin  Booth  recited  R.  H.  Stod- 
dard's poem,  ''Shakespeare."  The  ceremonies 
closed  with  an  overture  from  Schumann,  en- 
titled "Julius  Caesar." 

At  the  Metropolitan  Museum  of  Art,  New 
York,  is  a  memorial  to  Edgar  Allen  Poe,  pre- 
sented by  the  actors  of  New  York  and  vicinity. 
The  dedication  of  this  memorial  took  place 
May  4,  1885.  At  Prospect  Park,  Brooklyn, 
N.  Y.,  is  a  bronze  bust  of  John  Howard  Payne, 
placed  there  by  the  theatrical  fraternity.  Mr. 
Payne  died  at  Tunis  in  1852,  an  exile  from 
home.  Thirty  years  later  his  remains  were 
brought  to  this  country  and  laid  finally  in  Oak 
Hill  Cemetery,  Washington,  D.  C.  A  neat 
monument  over  a  grave  in  Monument  Ceme- 
tery, Philadelphia,  bears  this  simple  inscription: 


io8  Driftwood  of  the  Stage. 

*'In  memory  of  the  Author  of  'Metamora/  by 
his  friend,  Edwin  Forrest." 

I^ester  Wallack,  Roland  Reed,  Henry  C. 
Miner,  and  William  F.  Hoey  are  buried  in 
Woodlawn  Cemetery,  New  York.  William  A. 
Mestayer  and  Joseph  Ott  sleep  side  by  side  in 
Calvary  Cemetery,  Brooklyn,  N.  Y.  William 
J.  Scanlon,  William  J.  Florence  and  other 
famous  players  are  buried  in  this  same  ceme- 
tery. A.  H.  Chamberlyn  was  laid  to  rest  in 
Holywood  Cemetery,  Brookline,  Mass.  Wil- 
liam Paull,  in  Bellefontaine  Cemetery,  St. 
Louis,  Mo. ;  George  Milbank,  Mt.  Hope  Ceme- 
tery, Boston;  and  Napier  Lothian,  Jr.,  Forest 
Hill  Cemetery  at  the  same  city. 

P.  T.  Barnum  is  buried  at  Bridgeport,  Conn., 
and  a  bronze  statue  of  the  famous  showman 
adorns  one  of  that  city's  public  parks.  Adam 
Forepaugh  is  buried  in  West  Laurel  Hill 
Cemetery,  Philadelphia.  The  remains  of  Frank 
Queen,  founder  of  the  New  York  Clipper,  were 
interred  in  Ebenezer  Church  Cemetery,  Phila- 
delphia, the  gate  of  which  opened  into  his  own 
garden.  Ten  years  later  they  were  removed 
to  Eglington  Cemetery,  Clarksboro,  Gloucester 
County,  N.  J.  The  simple  monument  that 
marks  his  resting-place  bears  the  inscription: 


Driftwood  of  the  Stage.  109 


"Called  from  a  life  of  usefulness.  Leaving  us 
to  mourn  and  wonder — Why?" 

George  Jones,  better  known  as  the  Count 
Joannes,  an  actor  who  was  not  appreciated  as 
he  deserved,  was  laid  to  rest  in  Maple  Grove 
Cemetery,  Long  Island.  Jacob  W.  Thoman, 
who  was  the  original  Lone  Fisherman  in 
''E,vangeline,"  died  at  the  Forrest  Home,  where 
he  had  been  a  guest  for  several  years.  His 
body  was  cremated  and  the  ashes  interred  in  the 
Forrest  Home  plot  in  North  Cedar  Hill  Ceme- 
tery, Holmesburg,  Pa. 

In  recognition  of  his  brilliant  record  as  a 
soldier  Daniel  H.  Harkins  was  given  a  military 
burial  in  the  Presidio  National  Cemetery,  San 
Francisco,  Cal.,  and  Charles  O.  White,  well 
known  as  a  manager,  was  laid  to  rest  at  Alex- 
andria, Va.,  among  those  with  whom  he  had 
fought  in  the  ranks  of  the  Confederacy.  George 
L.  and  Charles  K.  Fox,  who  were  considered 
the  best  of  actors  and  pantomimists  in  their 
time,  are  buried  in  Mt.  Auburn  Cemetery,  Bos- 
ton; Charles  H.  Hoyt  at  Charlestown,  N.  H.; 
Jerome  Sykes,  St.  James,  Long  Island;  Arthur 
Sidman,  Tully,  N.  Y. ;  and  John  Stromberg, 
Woonsocket,  R.  I. 

In  the  Rural  Cemetery  at  Albany,  N.  Y.,  are 


no  Driftwood  of  the  Stage. 

the  graves  of  Felix  Morris  and  J.  K.  Emmett. 
The  body  of  Louis  Aldrich  was  cremated,  and 
so  was  that  of  Edwin  F.  Knowles.  The  ashes 
of  the  latter  are  buried  at  the  city  of  his  birth, 
Hamlet,  R.  I.  Odell  Williams  is  buried  at 
Mechanicsburg,  Ohio;  Bartley  Campbell  and 
Charles  L.  Davis,  Pittsburg,  Pa.;  John  W. 
Norton,  St.  Louis,  Mo.;  Stuart  Robson,  Co- 
hasset,  Mass.;  T.  Grattan  Riggs  and  William 
E.  Sheridan,  in  far  ofif  Australia,  and  Edward 
A.  Sothern  at  Southampton,  England.  Bret 
Harte  sleeps  in  Frimley  Churchyard,  Surrey, 
England. 

William  T.  Hall,  who  was  widely  known 
among  members  of  the  theatrical  profession  as 
"Biff"  Hall,  and  for  many  years  the  Chicago 
correspondent  of  the  New  York  Dramatic  Mir- 
ror, was  laid  to  rest  in  Rose  Hill  Cemetery, 
Chicago;  James  Lewis  is  buried  at  Brooklyn, 
N.  Y. ;  George  H.  Emerick,  St.  Catherines, 
Ont. ;  and  Aiden  Benedict,  Decorah,  Iowa. 

Probably  the  most  popular  of  all  the  border 
characters  that  were  introduced  to  the  stage  in 
days  gone  by  was  John  B.  Omohundro,  better 
known  as  Texas  Jack.  He  was  a  protege  of 
Buffalo  Bill,  and  dressed  much  after  the  style 
of  that    gentleman.     His    pleasant    personality 


Maudk  Adams. 


Driftwood  of  the  Stage.  iii 

won  him  hosts  of  friends.  Handsome  of  face 
and  a  disposition  as  sunny  as  a  child's,  he  was 
just  the  opposite  of  what  one  would  expect  of 
a  frontiersman.  He  was  one  of  the  most 
skilled  Indian  fighters  that  ever  blazed  a  trail 
through  the  wilderness,  and  one  of  the  first 
v/hite  men  to  penetrate  Yellowstone  Park. 

Texas  Jack  was  taken  up  by  the  Papyrus 
Club  of  Boston,  on  a  trip  east  in  the  early  days, 
and  was  made  much  of  at  the  Hub.  His  pic- 
turesque frontier  regalia  as  he  walked  the  streets 
of  Boston  attracted  no  little  attention,  and  the 
frontiersman  liked  the  notoriety  so  much  that 
he  remained  for  some  time  in  Boston,  becoming 
a  local  celebrity.  In  1873  he  was  married  to 
Mile.  Morlacchi,  the  premier  danceuse.  Pul- 
monary troubles  carried  off  this  gentle  char- 
acter, and  his  grave,  near  Leadville,  Col.,  which 
at  certain  seasons  of  the  year  is  covered  with 
wild  flowers,  is  often  visited  by  members  of 
the  profession  w^ho  knew  and  admired  him.  He 
died  June  28,  1880. 

Henry  Wannemacher,  the  well  known  or- 
chestra leader,  is  buried  in  Arlington  Cemetery, 
Philadelphia;  William  H.  Power  and  William 
H.  Power,  Jr.,  are  at  rest  in  Mt.  Elliott  Ceme- 
tery, Detroit,    Mich.;    John    Wild,    for  thirty 


112  Driftwood  of  the  Stage. 

years  a  Broadway  favorite,  is  buried  in  Ever- 
green Cemetery,  Brooklyn,  N.  Y.  Qn  his 
monument  are  inscribed  these  words:  "Think 
what  the  best  of  husbands  and  fathers  should 
be.  He  was  that!"  Not  far  distant  in  the 
same  cemetery  is  the  grave  of  Pat  Rooney,  the 
greatest  Irish  comedian  of  his  day. 

William  Emmett,  a  prominent  manager,  is 
buried  in  Rose  Hill  Cemetery,  Chicago.  John 
L.  Ashton  and  James  H.  Kelly,  in  the  Elks' 
Rest,  Woodmere  Cemetery,  Detroit,  Mich. 

Of  the  departed  who  followed  the  vaudeville 
and  minstrel  branch  of  the  profession,  William 
H.  West,  Billy  Barry  and  Louis  C.  Behman 
peacefully  sleep  in  Greenwood  Cemetery, 
Brooklyn,  N.  Y.  Harry  Kernell  and  J.  W. 
Kelly,  at  Philadelphia;  John  Kernell,  at  Brook- 
lyn, N.  Y.,  and  Tony  Hart,  at  Worcester,  Mass. 
George  Guy,  for  many  years  a  minstrel  singer 
and  manager,  is  buried  at  Springfield,  Mass. 
The  pall  was  borne  by  his  six  sons,  all  of  whom 
were  identified  with  the  minstrel  line.  J.  H. 
Haverly  sleeps  in  a  Jewish  burying  ground  at 
Philadelphia,  and  Billy  Lester  in  a  Jewish 
cemetery  at  Brooklyn,  N.  Y. 

Billy  Emerson  was  laid  to  rest  at  San  Fran- 
cisco, Cal. ;  Billy  Rice,  Hot  Springs,  Ark.;  Jim 


Driftwood  of  the  Stage.  113 

Sanford,  Cohoes,  N.  Y. ;  John  Jennings,  Erie, 
Pa. ;  Billy  Manning,  Piqua,  Ohio ;  Dave  Wam- 
bold,  Newark,  N.  J.;  Ben  Cotton,  Jr.,  Bristol, 
R.  I.;  W.  T.  Bryant,  Dayton,  Ohio;  Will 
Irvini,  Racine,  Wis.;  Bob  Slavin,  Baltimore, 
Md. ;  Danger  Norton,  Detroit,  Mich.;  Ed. 
Banker,  Toledo,  Ohio;  John  B.  Donniker, 
Penn  Yan,  N.  Y.;  William  Gilbert,  San  Fran- 
cisco, Cal.,  and  Louis  Martinetti,  Fall  River, 
Mass. 

J.  W.  McAndrews,  Emil  Ames  and  John 
Rice  are  buried  in  the  Elks'  Rest,  Mt.  Green- 
wood Cemetery,  Chicago;  Nelse  Seymour,  Lit- 
tle Mac  and  Dody  Pastor,  in  Evergreen  Ceme- 
tery, Brooklyn,  N.  Y. ;  Harry  Dryden,  River- 
side Cemetery,  Towanda,  Pa.;  Sam  T.  Jack, 
Oil  City,  Pa.,  and  Tom  Miaco,  Medina,  N.  Y. 

Charles  A.  Vivian,  an  English  comic  singer 
and  one  of  the  founders  of  the  Order  of  Elks, 
for  many  years  lay  in  a  neglected  grave  at 
Leadville,  Col.,  but  Boston  Lodge  of  Elks  had 
his  remains  transferred  to  the  Elks'  Rest,  in 
Mt.  Hope  Cemetery,  at  that  city,  where  they 
now  lie.  Charlie  Reed  is  buried  in  the  same 
plot. 

Charles  Gilday  died  and  was  buried  at  sea. 
They  placed  a  mound  and  headstone  for  him 


114  Driftwood  of  the  Stage. 

in  the  Elks'  Rest,  in  Mt.  Moriah  Cemetery, 
Philadelphia,  beside  the  grave  of  Bobby  New- 
comb,  who  died  about  the  same  time.  A  few 
feet  away,  in  the  same  plot,  are  the  remains  of 
Frank  Moran.  Frank  Ramza  died  at  Atlanta, 
Ga.,  while  traveling  with  George  Wilson's 
Minstrels.  His  home  was  at  Birmingham, 
England.  '  They  laid  him  away  in  the  Elks' 
Rest  at  Birmingham,  Ala.  James  Wheeler  was 
the  first  to  be  interred  in  the  beautiful  Elks' 
Rest  in  Lakewood  Cemetery,  Minneapolis, 
Minn. 

The  beautiful  cemetery  of  the  Eivergreens  at 
Brooklyn,  N.  Y.,  may  well  be  called  the  city  of 
theatrical  dead,  for  here,  in  addition  to  the 
many  private  plots  owned  by  professionals,  are 
the  plots  of  the  Elks  and  the  Actors'  Fund  of 
America.  In  this  cemetery  are  the  graves  of 
more  than  one  thousand  stage  folks.  The 
burial  plot  of  the  Actors'  Fund  of  America  is 
no  feet  wide  and  220  feet  long,  and  in  the 
center  of  it  stands  a  handsome  monument 
erected  at  a  cost  of  $5,000.  The  dedication  of 
this  place  of  rest  occurred  in  June,  1887,  Edwin 
Booth  making  an  address  on  the  occasion. 
George  Zebold  has  the  distinction  of  being  the 
first  to  be  interred  in  this  plot,  and  at  the  pre- 


Driftwood  of  the  Stag^e.  115 

sent  time  there  are  about  five  hundred  laid  away 
in  this  peaceful  place.  Among  those  that  are 
buried  there  may  be  mentioned  such  well  known 
names  as  Charles  W.  Couldock,  Charles  T. 
Parsloe,  Diego  de  Vivo,  Harry  Watkins,  Ben- 
jamin G.  Rogers,  Lysander  Thompson,  H.  B. 
Phillips,  Edward  Coleman,  Harry  M.  Pitt  and 
Edouard  Remenyi. 
Peace  be  with  them! 


ii6  Driftwood  of  the  Stage. 


HISTORIC  PLAYHOUSES. 


On  the  southeast  corner  of  Twenty-third 
Street  and  Sixth  Avenue,  New  York,  once 
stood  Booth's  Theater.  The  work  on  this 
theater  was  begun  July  i,  1867,  and  the  labor 
was  pushed  with  such  energy  that  by  April  8, 
1868,  all  was  in  readiness  for  the  laying  of  the 
corner  stone.  The  day  selected  for  the  cere- 
mony was  a  stormy  one  and  but  few  persons 
were  present  to  take  part  in  the  dedication. 
James  H.  Hackett  performed  the  official  acts 
and  delivered  an  address.  Then  with  masonic 
observances  the  corner  stone  was  lowered  into 
its  place. 

The  building  was  of  granite.  The  main  en- 
trance was  on  Twenty-third  Street,  but  there 
was  another  entrance  on  Sixth  Avenue.  The 
house  would  comfortably  hold  two  thousand 
persons,  and  from  every  part  of  the  theater  the 
stage  could  be  distinctly  seen.  It  was  finished 
in  January,  1869,  and  opened  to  the  public  on 
the  night  of  February  3  of  the  same  year.  The 
play  was  "Romeo  and  Juliet."     Edwin  Booth 


Driftwood  of  the  Stage.  117 


was  the  Romeo,  and  Mary  F.  McVicker  played 
Juliet.  Every  part  of  the  new  theater  was 
crowded  with  a  brilliant  audience  to  witness 
the  opening  of  what  was  then  the  handsomest 
theater  in  New  York.  The  theater  did  not 
close  at  all  during  the  first  summer  of  its  exist- 
ence. The  season  that  began  February  3,  1869, 
did  not  end  until  July  4,  1871. 

The  following  season  it  was  opened  with 
Lotta,  and  then  Charlotte  Cushman  returned  to 
the  stage,  after  ten  years  of  retirement,  as 
Queen  Katharine  in  "Henry  the  Eighth."  It 
was  on  Christmas  night  of  the  same  year  that 
Edwin  Booth  gave  his  grand  production  of 
"Julius  Caesar,"  in  which  at  different  times  he 
acted  Brutus,  Cassius  and  Antony,  and  in  which 
Lawrence  Barrett  gained  lasting  fame  as  Cas- 
sius. That  revival  of  the  great  Roman  play 
was  one  of  the  most  imposing  spectacles  of  the 
modern  stage  and  was  repeated  eighty-five 
times. 

In  1874  the  theater  passed  out  of  Mr. 
Booth's  hands.  After  his  withdrawal  it  was 
leased  by  Junius  Brutus  Booth,  Jarrett  and 
Palmer  and  others,  and  many  efforts,  mostly 
in  vain,  were  made  to  establish  it  in  public 
favor.    Jarrett  and  Palmer  managed  the  house 


ii8  Driftwood  of  the  Stage. 


from  May,  1874,  until  April,  1877,  and  during 
their  reign  many  stars  appeared  and  many  pro- 
ductions were  made.  It  was  under  this  man- 
agement that  the  following  magnificent  pro- 
ductions were  given:  "Henry  V.,"  February 
8,  1875;  the  revival  of  "J^^i^s  Csesar,"  with 
the  addition  of  a  funeral  fire  scene  originally 
devised  for  the  conclusion  of  ''Coriolanus," 
December  2"/,  1875;  "Sardanapalus,"  August 
14,  1876,  and  "King  Lear,"  with  Lawrence 
Barrett  as  Lear,  December  4,  1876. 

It  was  at  this  theater  that  Henry  E.  Abbey 
determined  to  present  a  Passion  Play  which 
had  been  written  and  produced  under  the 
supervision  of  Salmi  Morse,  in  one  of  the 
theaters  at  San  Francisco,  where  it  ran  to 
packed  houses  for  several  weeks,  but  was 
ordered  withdrawn  by  the  authorities.  Mr. 
Abbey  began  to  make  elaborate  preparations 
for  the  production.  James  O'Neill,  who  had 
personated  the  Saviour  in  the  California  pro- 
duction, was  secured  for  his  original  part.  A 
large  company  of  prominent  players  was  en- 
gaged, rehearsals  began,  and  the  theater  re- 
christened  Booth's  Tabernacle. 
.  Public  opinion  was  against  the  Passion  Play 
from  the  start.     The  pulpit,  the  press,  as  well 


Driftwood  of  the  Stag^e.  1 19 


as  leading  members  of  the  dramatic  profession 
protested  against  the  enterprise.  Petitions 
signed  by  thousands  were  presented  to  the 
authorities  to  prevent  the  performance,  and 
dead  Jetter  laws  against  blasphemy  were 
brought  to  light.  There  were  rumors  of  a 
riotous  demonstration  as  the  date  of  the  first 
representation  drew  near,  and  Mr.  Abbey  pub- 
lished a  card,  in  which  he  yielded  to  popular 
sentiment  and  abandoned   his  plans. 

Salmi  Morse,  enraged  at  the  success  of  the 
opposition,  took  the  old  Fifth  Regiment  armory 
on  West  Twenty-third  Street,  transformed  it 
into  a  theater,  engaged  a  company  of  amateurs 
and  advertised  the  performance.  The  police 
interfered  and  prevented  the  sale  of  tickets. 
Soon  after  his  lifeless  body  was  found  in  the 
Hudson  River. 

The  theater  was  finally  closed,  April  30, 
1883,  with  a  performance  of  "Romeo  and 
Juliet,"  the  same  piece  with  which  it  had  been 
opened  fourteen  years  before.  Mme.  Mod- 
jeska  acted  Juliet.  A  little  later  the  house  was 
demolished,  and  its  site  given  over  to  mercan- 
tile purposes. 

5j«        ^        H<        Hs        >!<        Hs 

After  a  career  of  sixty- two  years,  the  history 


120  Driftwood  of  the  Stage. 

of  the  Boston  Museum  as  a  playhouse  came  to 
an  end  on  the  night  of  June  i,  1903.  It  was 
the  most  celebrated,  though  not  the  oldest, 
theater  in  America.  The  latter  distinction  be- 
longs to  the  Walnut  Street  Theater  at  Phila- 
delphia, which  in  part  is  over  100  years  old. 
But  the  Boston  Museum  held  all  the  theatrical 
traditions  that  were  sacred  to  the  city  of  cul- 
ture. It  was  in  the  early  days  the  home  of 
all  our  great  actors.  Edwin  Forrest  always 
played  there,  as  did  the  elder  Booth. 

For  many  years  it  was  principally  celebrated 
for  the  fairy  pieces  produced  there  every  Christ- 
mas. "Uncle  Tom's  Cabin"  was  first  brought 
out  in  1853,  and  had  the  longest  run  the  theater 
had  yet  known. 

One  peculiar  characteristic  of  the  Boston 
Museum  was  its  name.  It  was  originally  so 
called  because  the  word  theater  had  a  bad  smell 
in  the  nostrils  of  the  good  New  England  folks. 
To  carry  out  the  illusion  there  was  a  large  hall 
in  the  building  just  fronting  the  entrance  to 
the  auditorium  proper,  and  in  this  was  a  col- 
lection of  plaster  statuary — Daniel  Webster, 
Henry  Clay,  Andrew  Jackson,  the  Laocoon 
group — about  a  dozen  pieces. 

The  ancient  temple  of  the  drama  never  con- 


Driftwood  of  the  Stage.  121 

tained  a  larger  or  more  fashionable  audience 
than  greeted  the  members  of  Charles  Froh- 
man's  Empire  Stock  Company  that  night  when 
the  curtain  rose  on  "Mrs.  Dane's  Defense/' 
which  through  the  kindness  of  Charles  Froh- 
man,  Isaac  B.  Rich  and  William  Harris,  was 
presented  in  aid  of  the  Vincent  Memorial 
Hospital. 

The  audience  for  the  most  part  was  made 
up  of  old  Bostonians  who  had  been  patrons  of 
the  house  ever  since  the  days  of  the  old  stock 
company,  and  came  out  to  get  a  last  look  at 
the  theater  where  Mrs.  Vincent,  Annie  Clarke, 
William  Warren  and  a  host  of  other  famous 
actors  and  actresses  had  entertained  the  public 
and  to  carry  away  some  sort  of  a  souvenir  from 
the  old  playhouse.  Up  to  the  time  the  curtain 
went  down  at  the  close  of  the  fourth  act  a 
casual  observer  would  never  have  known  that 
the  performance  was  to  be  the  last  in  one  of 
America's  most  famous  playhouses.  But  fol- 
lowing the  curtain  came  the  formal  closing  of 
the  house.  The  entire  Empire  Theater  Com- 
pany came  on  the  stage  and  Margaret  Anglin 
read  a  poem  by  Dexter  Smith. 

The  poem  was  reminiscent  and  historical,  be- 
ginning with  the  Museum's    early    days    and 


122  Driftwood  of  the  Stage. 

bringing  it  down  to  the  present.  Name  after 
name — Moses  Kimball,  Kate  Reignolds,  Annie 
Clarke,  Mrs.  Vincent,  William  Warren, 
Charles  Barron,  George  W.  Wilson,  and  a  host 
of  others  who  have  played  or  been  associated 
with  the  management  of  the  Museum,  were 
mentioned  by  Miss  Anglin  in  clever  verse,  and 
applause  greeted  each.  The  poem  was  followed 
by  a  farewell  address  delivered  by  William 
Seymour,  for  many  years  stage  manager  during 
the  stock  company  days.  In  his  address  Mr. 
Seymour  traced  the  career  of  the  theater  from 
the  time  it  was  established  by  Moses  Kimball 
in  1 84 1  down  to  the  time  it  passed  into  the 
control  of  Charles  Frohman,  and  concluded  his 
address  as  follows : 

"In  the  fleeting  world,  we  know,  all  partings 
bring  regret,  but  mingled  here  with  ours  is 
some  cheer,  too,  since  while  we  live,  the  good 
example  of  this  theater  can  never  be  quite  for- 
gotten. As  age  advances,  the  best  of  life  is 
its  cluster  of  old  associations,  and  these  here 
rise  so  thick  and  fast  around  us,  that  some,  at 
least,  should  prove  imperishable.  I  can  wish 
no  better  fate  to  those  dear  old  times  and  to 
you  all.  But  I  would  have  the  last  words 
spoken  upon  this  stage  not  mine,  nor  those  of 


Driftwood  of  the  Stage.  123 


any  common  mortal.  Let  Shakespeare's  be  the 
last!  And  so,  in  the  words  of  Hamlet:  'I  be- 
seech you,  remember.'  " 

At  the  conclusion  of  the  address  the  orches- 
tra played  "Auld  Lano^  Syne"  and  the  audience 
and  company  rose  and  sang  the  old  song  with 
a  will.  Then  the  people  passed  out  into  the 
old  curiosity  hall,  where  the  orchestra  played 
songs  of  the  old  days.  Until  long  after  mid- 
night the  people  lingered  in  the  old  hall,  many 
of  them  taking  away  souvenirs,  while  on  the 
outside  a  vast  concourse  of  people  were  wedged 
into  Tremont  Street  listening  to  the  music  and 
v;aiting  to  see  the  Museum  close  for  the  last 
time. 

Shortly  after  12  130  o'clock  the  colored  porter 
closed  the  doors  and  locked  the  iron  gates,  and 
the  historical  old  playhouse  was  a  thing  of  the 

past. 

*     *     *     H«     *     * 

A    great   lover   of   art,    and   particularly   of 

music  and  the  drama,  the  Jenny  Lind  concerts 

in  the  early  fifties  suggested  to  Samuel  N.  Pike 

the  erection  of  a  temple  that  should  be  so  grand 

that  the  world  would  recognize  Cincinnati  in 

the  arts,  and  with  it  his  name.     Mr.  Pike  was 

alert  in  business,  and  originator  of,  for  his  time, 


124  Driftzvood  of  the  Sta^e. 

gfreat  ventures.  At  the  same  time  he  was 
debonair,  chum  of  poet,  painter,  actor,  singer, 
soldier.  In  the  same  day  or  week,  it  seemed, 
his  mind  would  be  devoted  to  wholesaling 
whiskey,  erecting  magnificent  opera  houses  at 
Cincinnati  and  New  York,  and  in  playing  the 
flute  at  a  benefit  or  dreaming  over  his  poems. 

On  the  night  of  March  22,  1866,  occurred 
the  calamity  that  wiped  out  that  gem  in  the 
Queen  City's  coronet,  the  first  Pike's  C)|)era 
House.  "A  Midsummer  Night's  Dream"  was 
the  play  that  fateful  night.  The  most  gor- 
geously beautiful  of  Shakespeare's  matchless 
conceptions,  garbed  in  all  the  magnificence  of 
scenic  effects  and  spectacular  display,  was  be- 
fore the  large  audience,  which  thronged  par- 
quette,  dress  circle  and  balcony  of  the  superb 
auditorium.  All  was  animation  and  pleasure. 
Thousands  of  eyes  gazed  with  astonished  sur- 
prise upon  the  scenes  of  fairy  land  into  which 
the  immense  stage  had  been  transformed;  upon 
the  silvery  waters  of  moonlit  lakes,  in  dells 
where  fairy  sprites,  the  Queen  with  all  her 
elves,  were  reveling;  upon  the  magnificence  of 
Duke  Theseus' s  court  and  retinue,  and  finally 
upon  that  most  gorgeous  of  all  closing  and 
transformation  scenes. 


Driftivood  of  the  Sia^e.  125 

The  hard-handed  men  of  Athens  had  disap- 
peared, proud  Titania  had  bowed  in  love  to 
Bottom  of  the  asses'  nowl,  Theseus  and  his 
court  had  retired  for  the  night,  Oberon  and  the 
elfin  Puck  had  mended  their  mistakes,  and 
made  the  lovers  happy,  the  curtain  had  fallen 
for  the  last  time,  and  the  audience,  fortunately, 
had  disappeared.  An  hour  later  and  fire  crept 
up  and  along  the  scenes,  out  through  the  green 
baize,  up  along  the  rich  ornamentation  of  boxes, 
over  richly  gilded  pillars  and  cushioned  seats, 
and  up  to  the  beautiful  ceiling  and  dome. 
Sounds  were  changed  as  well  as  scenes.  In 
place  of  symphony  and  stirring  melody  crack- 
ling and  roaring  flames  wrapped  in  a  new  and 
terrible  splendor  that  beautiful  interior,  and  the 
crash  of  cymbals  and  drums  of  the  grand  wed- 
ding march  gave  place  to  the  terrible  roar  of 
falling  dome  and  walls. 

It  was  while  looking  sadly  upon  this  de- 
struction of  his  great  pride  that  night  that  Mr. 
Pike,  mechanically  feeling  for  his  watch  and 
discovering  that  his  pocket  had  been  picked  of 
it  in  the  crowd,  remarked:  ''Well,  that's  add- 
ing insult  to  injury!" 


126  Driftwood  of  the  Stage. 


They  tore  down  the  Httle  old  playhouse  on 
Eighth  Street,  near  Fourth  Avenue,  to  make 
room  for  New  York's  new  subway,  and  of  the 
thousands  of  playgoers  who  have  known  it  in 
the  past  it  is  doubtful  if  more  than  half  a  dozen 
knew  that  this  dingy  old  building  was  a  land- 
mark of  genuine  interest  to  music  lovers  the 
world  over.  The  house  had  many  vicissitudes 
in  its  latter  years,  but  to  those  who  frequented 
the  theaters  of  the  town  a  score  of  years  ago 
it  will  be  enshrined  in  memory.  It  was  here 
that  Jac.  Aberle  maintained  a  stock  company 
engaged  for  the  support  of  his  daughter  Lena, 
of  immortal  memory.  Not  one  of  his  actors 
received  more  than  twenty  dollars  a  week, 
twenty-five  per  cent,  of  which  was  paid  in  bar 
checks,  and  Miss  Aberle  did  not  care  what  piece 
she  appeared  in  provided  there  was  a  moon  in 
it.  Her  impersonation  of  Camille,  which  she 
gave  on  her  benefit  nights — the  stage  creaking 
under  her  as  she  faded  away  and  died — will 
never  be  forgotten  by  those  who  had  the  good 
fortune  to  witness  it. 

Since  the  Aberle  days  the  house  had  many 
tenants,  including  Johnny  Thompson,  the  hero 
of  the  old-time  drama,  "On  Hand,"  various 
Hebrew  managers  and  at  least  one  Italian  im- 


Driftzvood  of  the  Stage.  127 

presario.  It  was  conducted  for  many  years  as 
the  Germania  Theater  by  Adolph  Philip,  who 
produced  a  number  of  very  successful  local 
German  farces. 

It  is  not  because  of  Thompson  or  Aberle  or 
Philip,  however,  that  the  old  Eighth  Street 
Theater  possessed  an  interest  for  playgoers,  but 
because  it  was  the  scene  of  Adelina  Patti's  first 
appearance  before  the  public  as  a  singer.  Years 
ago  it  was  a  church.  That  was  during  the 
fifties,  when  Adelina  Patti,  then  a  little  girl, 
was  living  in  New  York  in  very  humble  cir- 
cumstances and  studying  music  under  her  half- 
brother,  Ettore  Barilli,  known  in  later  life  as 
a  singing  teacher  of  great  ability.  From  her 
very  earliest  childhood  Adelina  impressed  her 
big  half-brother  with  a  sense  of  her  extra- 
ordinary vocal  gifts,  and  he  undertook  her 
tuition  with  a  firm  belief  in  the  brilliant  future 
that  lay  before  her.  It  was  during  this  period 
of  her  musical  education  that  he  found  the 
opportunity  he  had  long  wanted  in  the  choir  of 
the  Eighth  Street  Church,  and  there,  on  a 
certain  Sunday  a  few  years  before  the  civil  war, 
the  future  diva  sang  for  the  first  time  before 
the  public  while  her  brother  listened  critically 
from  his  pew  downstairs. 


128  Driftwood  of  the  Stage. 

The  newspapers  of  that  day  made  no  com- 
ment on  the  affair,  and  history  is  silent  con- 
cerning the  success  of  the  experiment,  but  the 
fact  that  she  was  first  heard  there  by  a  pubUc 
gathering  deserves  to  be  remembered  long  after 
Jac.  Aberle  and  Lena  and  Johnny  Thompson 
and  the  rest  of  them  shall  have  passed  into 
oblivion. 


i^  V,^i'sr'^'."' 


Chari^es  Richman. 


Driftzvood  of  the  Sta^e.  129 


NOTABLE  TESTIMONIALS. 


When  it  was  apparent  that  Georgia  Cayvan, 
the  popular  actress,  so  long  associated  with  the 
old  Lyceum  Theater  successes,  would  be  unable 
to  return  to  the  active  work  of  the  stage,  her 
professional  brothers  and  sisters  resolved  to 
give  evidence  of  their  sympathy  by  organizing 
a  history-making  benefit,  which  took  place  at 
the  Broadway  Theater,  New  York,  January  13, 
1903.  Miss  Cayvan  had  long  been  an  invalid, 
and  with  the  customary  generosity  of  the  pro- 
fession every  actor  and  actress  of  note  in  the 
city  rushed  to  the  rescue  of  a  disabled  sister. 
The  performers,  as  far  as  possible,  were  the 
associates  of  Miss  Cayvan's  days  at  the 
Lyceum.  Many  were  acting  in  the  current  New 
York  plays;  others  made  flying  trips  from 
Philadelphia. 

William  Faversham  opened  the  program 
with  a  few  introductory  remarks.  Then  James 
K.  Hackett,  Mary  Mannering  and  members  of 
the  former's  company  gave  the  third  act  of 
"Don    Caesar's    Return."     Mrs.    Langtry   con- 


130  Driftwood  of  the  Stage. 

tributed  a  monologue,  and  Julie  Opp  a  recita- 
tion. Julia  Marlowe  also  recited.  David  Bis- 
pham  sang  "Danny  Deever,"  accompanied  by 
Walter  Damrosch  on  the  piano. 

E.  H.  Sothern  and  Ethel  Barrymore  ap- 
peared in  a  sketch,  "Drifting  Apart."  Beatrice 
Herford  gave  a  monologue.  A  new  pastoral 
called  "The  Philosopher  in  the  Apple  Orch- 
ard" was  played  by  Fay  Davis  and  Bruce 
McRae.  The  Twelfth  Night  Club  contributed 
a  fantasy  written  for  them  by  Grant  Stewart, 
entitled  "Columbia's  Children."  Other  features 
on  the  bill  were  the  champagne  dance  from 
"The  Silver  Slipper,"  and  the  Pansy  song  and 
dance  from  "The  Billionaire."  The  entertain- 
ment was  a  financial  as  well  as  artistic  success, 
the  net  receipts  being  over  $9,cxx). 

It  was  one  of  the  most  splendid  testimonials 
in  the  shape  of  a  benefit  this  country  has 
known.  It  was  largely  due  to  a  sense  of  grati- 
tude, coupled  with  a  feeling  of  personal  afifec- 
tion,  which  led  to  the  fine  tribute  to  a  stricken 
artist. 

The  fact  that  an  artist  is  paid  for  his  or  her 
work  at  the  time  it  is  performed  does  not  wipe 
out  that  debt  of  gratitude  which  an  appreciative 
public  feels  for  those  whose  efforts  have  given 


Driftwood  of  the  Stage.  131 

them  the  keenest  kind  of  pleasure — that  which 
comes  from  beholding  artistic  work  well  done. 
Years  ago,  when  Charles  Fechter  became  fi- 
nancially embarrassed  by  reason  of  lack  of 
patronage  of  the  Globe  Theater,  which  he  had 
undertaken  to  manage  at  Boston,  the  citizens 
and  fellow  professionals  of  that  city  tendered 
him  a  complimentary  benefit,  which  took  place 
January  14,  187 1.  The  performance  was  one 
of  the  finest  ever  given  in  this  country.  While 
Mr.  Fechter  appreciated  the  compHment  paid 
him,  he  refused  to  accept  the  receipts,  and  in- 
structed those  who  had  charge  of  the  affair  to 
turn  the  money  over  to  the  worthy  poor  of  the 
city. 

A  benefit  performance  was  tendered  to  John 
Brougham  at  Niblo's  Garden,  New  York,  May 
16,  1869.  The  play  presented  on  that  occasion 
was  "The  School  for  Scandal,"  in  which  John 
Gilbert  appeared  as  Sir  Peter  and  Mrs.  D.  P. 
Bowers  as  Lady  Teazle.  What  was  called  a 
farewell  testimonial  to  the  same  gentleman  was 
given  at  the  Fifth  Avenue  Theater,  New  York, 
May  13,  1876.  On  that  occasion  was  presented 
"The  Serious  Family,"  with  Maurice  Barry- 
more,  Georgia  Drew  and  John  Drew  in  the  cast, 
and    "Pocohontas,"   with   John   Brougham   as 


132  Driftwood  of  the  Stage. 

Powhattan,  and  Mrs.  G.  H.  Gilbert  as  Poco- 
hontas.  Mr.  Brougham  did  not  retire  from 
the  stage  at  that  time,  but  continued  to  act  at 
intervals  until  shortly  before  his  death.  His 
last  appearance  on  any  stage  was  at  Booth's 
Theater,  New  York,  October  25,  1879,  as 
Coitier,  in  *Xouis  XL"  Mr.  Brougham  died 
June  7,  1880. 

Matilda  Heron  was  tendered  a  testimonial 
benefit  at  Niblo's  Garden,  New  York,  January 
17,  1872.  A  fine  bill  was  presented,  the  hst 
of  attractions  including  a  scene  from  ''The 
School  for  Scandal,"  John  Jack  appearing  as 
Sir  Peter  to  the  Lady  Teazle  of  Laura  Keene, 
and  one  act  of  ''King  John,"  in  which  Master 
Percy  Roselle,  a  precocious  boy  actor,  played 
Arthur.  Miss  Heron,  who  had  been  long  ])e- 
fore  the  public,  is  perhaps  best  remembered  for 
her  clever  impersonation  of  Camille,  and  was  at 
one  time  looked  upon  as  one  of  the  most  fas- 
cinating and  brilliant  ladies  of  the  stage.  She 
made  her  last  appearance  before  the  public  at 
Booth's  Theater,  New  York,  December  25, 
1874,  playing  Lady  Macbeth  to  the  Macbeth  of 
George  Vandenhoff.  Miss  Heron  died  at  New 
York,  May  7,  1877. 

Edwin  Adams,  a  favorite  actor  in  romantic 


Driftwood  of  the  Stage.  133 

drama,  best  remembered  for  his  grand  per- 
formances in  "Enoch  Arden"  and  "The  Marble 
Heart,"  was  an  invalid  for  two  years  before  his 
death.  His  last  appearance  on  the  stage  as  an 
actor  was  at  the  California  Theater,  San  Fran- 
cisco, Cal.,  May  27,  1876,  when  he  played  lago 
to  the  Othello  of  John  McCullough.  He  last 
appeared  before  the  public  at  the  same  theater 
at  a  benefit  performance  which  was  tendered 
him.  He  was  unable  to  act,  but  occupied  a  chair 
ii:  the  center  of  the  stage  while  the  company 
gathered  about  him  and  sang  "Auld  Lang 
Syne."  Benefit  performances  were  arranged 
for  him  at  New  York  and  Philadelphia  on 
October  12,  and  at  Pittsburg  on  October  17, 
1877,  the  net  receipts  from  which  amounted 
to  about  $10,000.  He  died  at  Philadelphia, 
October  28,  1877,  beloved  by  all. 

William  Warren,  long  a  Bo^^ton  favorite,  was 
tendered  a  testimonial  at  that  city  on  October 
28,  1882,  in  honor  of  his  fiftieth  year  on  the 
stage.  Twice  that  day  the  theater  was  crowded 
to  its  utmost  capacity,  and  he  appeared  once 
as  Dr.  Pangloss  and  once  as  Sir  Peter  Teazle. 
He  was  at  that  time  presented  with  a  massive 
loving  cup  by  Edwin  Booth,  Joseph  Jefferson, 
Mary  Anderson,    Lawrence    Barrett    and  John 


134  Driftwood  of  the  Stage. 

McCullough,  and  inscribed  with  their  names. 
Mr.  Warren  at  his  death  bequeathed  the  cup  to 
Joseph  Jefiferson,  who  gave  it  to  The  Players. 
For  thirty-five  years  he  was  identified  with  the 
stage  of  the  Boston  Museum,  his  first  appear- 
ance there  being  made  August  23,  1847,  ^^^ 
his  last  May  12,  1885,  when  he  played  Old 
Eccles  in  ''Caste."  This  was  Mr.  Warren's 
last  performance  on  any  stage.  He  died  Sep- 
tember 28,  1888. 

Charlotte  Cushman  on  her  final  retirement 
from  the  New  York  stage,  November  7,  1874, 
was  the  recipient  of  one  of  the  most  flattering 
testimonials  that  has  ever  been  paid  to  any 
artist  in  the  whole  history  of  the  stage.  At 
the  end  of  a  brief  engagement  at  Booth's 
Theater,  New  York,  then  under  the  manage- 
ment of  Jarrett  and  Palmer,  her  farewell  was 
formally  announced.  The  house  was  filled  to 
its  capacity,  and  the  play  selected  was  "Mac- 
beth," the  same  play  in  which  she  made  her 
first  appearance  on  the  dramatic  stage  thirty- 
nine  years  before.  After  the  play  was  finished 
the  curtain  was  raised,  and  on  the  stage  were 
discovered  Miss  Cushman  and  the  members  of 
the  dramatic  company.  William  Cullen  Bryant 
made  a  happy  speech  and  presented  Miss  Cush- 


Driftwood  of  the  Stage.  135 

man  with  a  crown  of  laurel  on  behalf  of  her 
admirers.  Miss  Cushman  responded  in  a  speech 
equally  happy,  but  full  of  deep  feeling.  Her 
last  appearance  before  an  audience  was  at  the 
Globe  Theater,  Boston,  May  15,  1875.  She 
died  February  18,   1876. 

John  Gilbert's  fiftieth  year  on  the  stage  was 
celebrated  by  a  banquet  at  the  Lotos  Club  on 
November  30,  1878,  and  a  benefit  performance 
at  Wallack's  Theater,  New  York,  on  the  after- 
noon of  December  5.  For  his  benefit  among 
those  who  appeared  were  Maude  Granger, 
Dion  Boucicault,  Agnes  Booth,  Lester  Wal- 
lack,  Ada  Dyas,  George  S.  Knight,  Birch  and 
Backus,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  J.  C.  Williamson, 
Charles  A.  Stevenson  and  Stella  Boniface.  The 
screen  scene  from  "The  School  for  Scandal" 
was  presented  by  Rose  Coghlan,  Charles  Cogh- 
lan  and  Charles  Barron.  Mr.  Gilbert's  ad- 
dress on  this  golden  anniversary  was  the  cause 
of  signs  of  emotion  when  he  said:  "During 
these  fifty  years  I  have  seen  moving  two  great 
processions  of  friends — one  coming  on  the 
stage  to  play  their  brief  parts,  the  other  passing 
silently  away."  Mr.  Gilbert's  last  appearance 
on  any  stage  was  at  the  Fifth  Avenue  Theater, 
New    York,     November     10,     1888,     as     Sir 


136  Driftzvood  of  the  Stage. 

Anthony  Absolute  in  "The  Rivals."  During 
his  career  he  had  played  eleven  hundred  and 
fifty  parts  in  tragedy  and  comedy,  and  it  is  said 
acting  them  all  v^ell.  He  died  at  Boston,  June 
17,  1889. 

Mrs.  J.  R.  Vincent  v^^as  tendered  a  testi- 
monial benefit  performance  in  honor  of  her 
fiftieth  anniversary  as  an  actress  at  the  Boston 
Museum,  April  25,  1885.  The  program  in 
the  afternoon  was  "She  Stoops  to  Conquer." 
Mrs.  Vincent  playing  Mrs.  Hardcastle.  In  the 
evening  the  play  was  "The  Rivals,"  with  Mrs. 
Vincent  as  Mrs.  Malaprop.  At  the  end  of  the 
evening's  performance  she  received  an  ovation, 
and  in  a  few  well-chosen  words  told  of  her  deep 
pleasure.  Mrs.  Vincent  died  at  Boston,  Sep- 
tember 4,  1887. 

Henry  E.  Abbey,  long  a  well-known  mana- 
ger, was  tendered  a  testimonial  benefit  at  the 
Metropolitan  Opera  House,  New  York,  April 
21,1884.  The  net  receipts  were  $36,000.  Mr. 
Abbey  died  October  17,  1896.- 

Tony  Hart,  long  associated  with  Edward 
Harrigan,  and  without  doubt  the  most  versa- 
tile performer  that  ever  appeared  in  vaudeville, 
was  compelled  to  retire  from  the  stage  on  ac- 
count of  illness.     A  monster  benefit  was  given 


Driftwood  of  the  Stage.  137 

him  at  the  Academy  of  Music,  New  York, 
March  22,  1888,  which  netted  $12,000.  Among 
those  who  took  part  in  the  performance  was 
Nat  C.  Goodwin,  who  acted  Marc  Antony  in  a 
scene  from  ''Julius  Ciesar,"  in  such  a  manner 
as  to  surprise  his  friends.  Mr.  Hart  entered 
into  partnership  with  Harrigan  in  1871,  and 
continued  with  him  for  fourteen  years.  Their 
first  appearance  in  New  York  w^as  at  the  Globe 
Theater  in  1872,  and  their  last  appearance  to- 
gether on  the  stage  was  at  the  Park  Theater, 
Brooklyn,  N.  Y.,  June  13,  1885.  Everybody 
liked  Tony  Hart,  and  his  appearance  on  the 
stage  under  whatever  name  for  the  occasion 
was  always  with  a  warm  hearted  reception.  By 
hard  work  he  made  his  way  up  to  the  top  of 
the  ladder  of  professional  fame,  and  he  died 
honored  as  one  of  the  most  finished  actors  of  his 
day.  He  originated  many  of  the  characters 
that  are  now  seen  on  the  stage.  Dead  at  thirty- 
six,  he  was  fortunate  in  having  a  consistent  and 
perfect  career.  Mr.  Hart  died  at  Worcester, 
Mass.,  November  4,   1891. 

A  testimonial  benefit  was  tendered  to  Clara 
Morris,  who  through  illness  was  compelled  to 
close  her  dramatic  career.  The  affair  was  in 
charge  of  Amelia  Bingham,  and  took  place  at 


138  Driftwood  of  the  Stage. 

the  Broadway  Theater,  New  York,  April  14, 
1903.  The  performance  was  opened  with  an 
address  by  the  Rev.  Dr.  A.  F.  Underhill. 
Following-  the  address  A.  S.  Witmark  sang  a 
number  of  songs,  and  then  came  Clyde  Fitch's 
one-act  comedy,  "Frederic  lycMaitre,"  which 
was  admirably  acted  by  Henry  Miller,  Martha 
Waldron  and  Miriam  Bruce.  Next  came  J.  E. 
Dodson  and  Annie  Irish,  in  Buckstone's  comical 
old  farce,  "A  Kiss  in  the  Dark."  Agnes  Booth 
and  Boyd  Putnam  then  presented  Bronson 
Howard's  comedy,  *'0'ld  Love  Letters,"  in 
charming  fashion.  Joseph  Haworth  appeared 
next  in  Augustus  Thomas'  sketch,  ''A  Man  of 
the  World."  This  was  followed  by  the  trial 
scene  from  ''The  Merchant  of  Venice,"  with 
Minna  Gale  Haynes  as  Portia,  and  Creston 
Clarke  as  Shylock.  The  last  number  was  the 
balcony  scene  from  ''Romeo  and  Juliet,"  played 
by  Edward  Harrigan  and  Annie  Yeamans  pre- 
cisely as  the>  used  to  play  it  in  Mr.  Harrigan's 
comedy,  "Investigation."  Between  the  several 
dramatic  offerings  songs  were  sung  by  Blanche 
Ring  and  Adele  Ritchie. 

Many  messages  from  players  and  old  ad- 
mirers of  Miss  Morris  who  were  unable  to  be 
present    were    received.      A    cablegram    from 


Driftwood  of  the  Stage.  139 

Sarah  Bernhardt  read  as  follows:  "I  would 
like  to  be  there  to  personally  express  to  you  my 
admiration  for  your  talent,  and  my  sympathy 
for  you.  You  are  one  of  those  who  have 
honored  our  profession  by  the  beauty  of  your 
life.  I  salute  you  with  emotion  and  tender- 
ness."   The  receipts  amounted  to  $6,500. 

On  Monday,  June  i,  1903,  the  Olympic 
Theater,  Chicago,  was  turned  over  to  the  pro- 
fessionals playing  at  that  city,  and  they  gave 
the  most  unique  continuous  performance  ever 
seen  in  a  theater  for  the  benefit  of  the  family 
of  William  T.  ("Biff")  Hall.  From  noon  to 
nearly  midnight  the  theater  was  packed  to  its 
capacity,  and  more  than  $5,000  was  handed 
over  to  the  widow  and  children  of  Mr.  Hall  as 
a  result.  There  were  no  waits,  representatives 
were  sent  from  every  theater  in  town,  and  at 
one  time  there  were  over  two  hundred  persons 
on  the  stage  and  back  of  the  scenes  awaiting 
their  turn. 

The  companies  participating  were  "King 
Dodo,"  "When  Johnny  Comes  Marching 
Home,"  "The  Tenderfoot,"  "The  Little  Prin- 
cess" and  "A  Chinese  Honeymoon."  William 
H.  Crane  journeyed  from  New  York  to  take 
part   in  the  performance.     Among  the  many 


I40  Driftwood  of  the  Stage. 


vaudeville  turns  on  the  bilt  were  Ross  and  Fen- 
ton,  J.  Bernard  Dyllyn,  Jessie  Bartlett  Davis, 
Lew  Hawkins,  Gallagher  and  Barrett,  Elizabeth 
Murray  and  Kelly  and  Violette. 

"Biff"  Hall,  as  he  was  generally  known,  was 
famous  as  a  writer,  dramatic  critic  and  after- 
dinner  speaker,  and  few  men  in  America  had 
a  wider  acquaintance  in  the  theatrical  profes- 
sion. He  died  at  Colorado  Springs,  Col.,  May 
16/  1903. 

Lester  Wallack  met  with  business  reverses 
at  the  close  of  his  career,  and  was  tendered  a 
benefit  at  the  Metropolitan  Opera  House,  New 
York,  May  21,  1888,  which  netted  $21,000. 
The  benefit  was  managed  by  A.  M.  Palmer, 
Augustin  Daly,  and  committees  of  eminent 
actors  and  newspaper  men.  Those  who  were 
not  assigned  parts  went  on  as  supernumeries, 
and  such  an  array  of  well-known  players  was 
never  before  seen  on  any  stage  in  this  country. 
Mr.  Wallack  died  at  Stamford,  Conn.,  Septem- 
ber 6,  1888.  A  performance  of  "Hamlet"  was 
given  with  the  following  cast : 

Hamlet   Edwin  Booth 

The  Ghost Lawrence  Barrett 

The  King Frank  Mayo 

Polonius  John  Gilbert 


Driftwood  of  the  Stage.  141 


Laertes  T Eben  Plympton 

Horatio  John  A.  Lane 

Rosencrantz Charles  Hanford 

Guildenstern  Lawrence  Hanley 

Osric   Charles  Koehler 

Marcellus E.  H.  Vanderfelt 

Bernardo   Herbert  Kelcey 

Francisco Frank  Mordaunt 

First  Actor Joseph  Wheelock 

Second  Actor Milnes  Levick 

First  Grave-Digger Joseph  Jefferson 

Second  Grave-Digger W.  J.  Florence 

Priest  Henry  Edwards 

Ophelia  Helena  Modj  eska 

The  Queen Gertrude  Kellogg 

Player  Queen Rose  CogbUn 


142  Driftzvood  of  the  Stage. 


CHURCH  AND  STAGE. 


Those  in  theatrical  life  at  times  receive  more 
than  their  share  of  abuse.  Their  failings  and 
misfortunes  are  paraded  before  the  public,  but 
their  charities  and  good  deeds  are  seldom 
thought  worthy  of  mention.  In  time  of  fire, 
flood  or  other  devastation,  they  are  among  the 
first  to  render  aid,  and  their  services  are  con- 
tinually sought  for  benefits  to  asylums,  hospitals 
and  like  charities.  Their  work  on  the  stage  is 
always  open  to  just  criticism,  but  the  faults  of  a 
few  should  not  condemn  the  entire  profession. 
Clergymen  of  certain  denominations  are  the 
chief  offenders,  and  they  never  let  an  oppor- 
tunity pass  to  say  something  unkind  of  the 
actor.  But  who  ever  heard  an  actor  speak  ill 
of  a  clergyman  ?  These  good  men  do  not  seem 
to  know  that  there  is  an  Actors'  Church 
Alliance,  with  chapters  in  nearly  all  of  the  large 
cities,  nor  that  many  professionals  are  regular 
church  attendants  and  take  an  active  part  in 
church  work  and  charities.  Members  of  the 
theatrical  profession  are  found  within  the  sacred 


Driftwood  of  the  Stage.  143 

walls  as  often  as  any  other  class,  but  they  do 
not  boast  of  the  fact. 

Most  of  the  comparatively  few  tirades  against 
the  theater  from  the  pulpit  nowadays  are  based 
on  antique  ideas  of  the  theater.  The  preachers 
that  thus  offend  common  sense  are  fond  of 
talking  about  what  the  theater  was  centuries 
ago,  when  so-called  Christians  themselves, 
divided  into  violently  opposed  sects,  were  busy 
hanging,  burning  and  barbarously  torturing  one 
another  in  the  name  of  religion. 

This  is  a  late  day  for  any  preacher  prominent 
or  aspiring  to  prominence  to  hold  forth  on  the 
alleged  common  wickedness  of  persons  asso- 
ciated with  the  theater,  and  the  classification 
of  the  stage  as  an  institution  typical  of  hell. 
That  sort  of  pulpit  talk  is  as  obsolete  as  are 
some  of  the  doctrines  as  to  human  punishment 
and  the  aberrant  flights  of  imagination  by  the 
terrifying  means  of  which  the  old-fashioned 
preacher  brought  his  hearers  to  a  realization 
of  what  he  pretended  to  believe  was  in  store 
for  them  hereafter  if  they  should  deviate  a 
hair's  breadth  from  the  path  that  he,  acting  as 
an  independent  surveyor,  had  marked  out.  The 
tremendous  educational  and  moral  force  of  the 
stage  must  be  admitted  when  one  reflects  that 


144  Driftzvood  of  the  Stage. 

in  a  great  city  each  night  more  people  attend 
the  theaters  than  attend  all  the  churches  on  a 
Sunday.  ^ 

In  the  early  days  of  the  theater  not  only  the 
players,  but  those  who  attended  such  places  of 
amusement  were  held  in  bad  repute,  and  severe 
laws  were  enacted  and  penalties  prescribed  for 
both  player  and  audience.  E.verything  possible 
was  done  to  discourage  this  form  of  amuse- 
ment, but  without  avail.  The  theatergoers  of 
today  have  reason  to  congratulate  themselves 
on  the  change  that  has  come  over  the  world 
since  the  present  era  of  the  playhouse  was  in 
its  youth.  Thus,  a  Cromwell  parliament  en- 
acted a  law  providing  that  ''all  stage  players 
and  players  of  interludes  and  common  plays 
shall  be  taken  for  rogues,  whether  they  be 
wanderers  or  no,  and  notwithstanding  any 
license  from  the  king  or  any  other  person  or 
persons  to  that  purpose.  A  fine  of  five  shillings 
shall  be  inflicted  upon  any  person  attending  the 
performance,  and  any  player  caught  in  the  act 
is  to  be  publicly  whipped  and  compelled  to  find 
sureties  for  future  good  behavior." 

While  there  were  formerly  a  great  many 
things  about  theatrical  performances  to  shock 
religious  people,  their  criticism  of  the  stage  was 


Driftwood  of  the  Stage.  145 

none  the  less  often  based  upon  mere  prejudice. 
It  was  in  order  to  bring  about  more  enlightened 
views  that  the  clergy  had  co-operated  in  the 
formation  of  the  Actors'  Church  Alliance,  one 
of  whose  fundamental  principles  was  that  the 
theater  as  an  institution  played  an  important 
part  in  promoting  the  welfare  of  society.  This 
organization  had  a  bishop  for  its  president,  and 
had  developed  chapters  at  Boston,  New  York, 
Philadelphia  and  other  cities  which  were  pre- 
sided over  by  clergymen. 

At  the  fair  of  the  Boston  Chapter,  held  at  the 
Hotel  Vendome  at  that  city  in  1902,  the  Rev. 
Dr.  George  W.  Shinn,  president  of  the  Boston 
Chapter,  opened  the  fair  with  a  short  address, 
after  which  he  introduced  Bishop  Lawrence  and 
Mrs.  Fiske  as  the  speakers  of  the  occasion. 
Bishop  Lawrence  gave  a  resume  of  the  work 
of  the  Alliance.  Mrs.  Fiske  said  in  part :  ''This 
is  a  good  day  for  the  stage  and  for  the  church. 
It  marks  a  step  on  the  way  to  further  friend- 
ship. The  players  have  long  known  the  church, 
but  perhaps  the  church  has  not  yet  quite  under- 
stood the  players.  Here  in  our  own  country 
we  hold  in  beloved  memory  the  names  of  the 
women    of    the    stage    of    yesterday — among 

others   Charlotte  Cushman,    Maggie    Mitchell, 
10 


146  Drifizvood  of  the  Stage. 

later  Mary  Anderson,  and  that  matchless  sprite 
of  innocent  joyousness,  Lotta  Crabtree.  We 
remember  these  women  not  only  as  women  of 
genius,  but  as  women  whose  lives  were  inspira- 
tions to  those  about  them.  These  women  stood 
in  the  glare  of  light.  There  are  countless  others 
who  work  humbly  in  the  shadow.  The  church 
should  be  glad  and  proud  to  know  them  better, 
as  they  will  be  glad  to  know  the  church." 

Some  have  left  the  church  for  the  stage  and 
others  have  left  the  stage  to  take  up  the  work 
of  the  church.  The  Rev.  George  C.  Miln  gave 
up  the  pastorate  of  a  large  and  wealthy  con- 
gregation to  seek  and  win  dramatic  recognition 
as  a  player  of  Shakespearean  roles-  and  Walter 
E.  Bentley,  an  actor  of  great  promise,  left  the 
stage  for  the  self-sacrificing  life  of  a  minister 
of  the  gospel;  to  visit  the  sick,  to  comfort  the 
dying,  to  bury  the  dead.  The  Rev.  Walter  E. 
Bentley,  as  we  now  know  him,  was  one  of  the 
founders  of  the  Actors'  Church  Alliance  of 
America,  the  objects  of  which  are  to  promote 
the  best  interests  of  the  stage  and  the  church 
by  seeking  to  produce  on  the  part  of  each  a 
just  appreciation  of  the  opportunities  and  re- 
sponsibilities of  the  other;  and  by  uniting  the 
stage,  the  church  and  the  general  public  in  a 


Viola  Allen. 


Driftwood  of  the  Stage.  147 

mutual  effort  for  the  benefit  of  all,  espe- 
cially in  protecting  the  actors  from  being  com- 
pelled to  play  in  Sunday  performances. 

James  H.  Hackett,  actor,  manager,  and  one 
of  the  greatest  Shakespearean  readers  of  his 
day,  spoke  and  wrote  several  languages,  and  it 
has  been  said  that  he  frequently  preached  in 
French,  German,  etc.  Ackland  VonBoyle,  a 
character  actor  of  great  merit  and  a  member  of 
a  well-known  theatrical  family,  left  the  stage 
and  became  a  minister  of  the  gospel. 

The  Rev.  Dr.  Mallory,  at  one  time  interested 
in  the  management  of  the  Madison  Square 
Theater,  New  York,  was  the  editor  of  The 
Churchman,  the  organ  of  the  Eipiscopal  church, 
as  well  as  a  clergyman.  The  Rev.  Forbes 
Phillips,  vicar  of  Gorleston,  was  the  author  of 
a  four-act  drama  entitled  "Church  and  Stage," 
said  to  deal  with  many  of  the  problems  of  the 
church  with  a  fearless  hand.  The  Rev.  Francis 
H.  Kelly,  of  Lapeer,  Mich.,  wrote  a  play  that 
was  successfully  produced. 

At  the  Trinity  Evangelical  German  Lutheran 
Church,  Baltimore,  Md.,  one  Sunday  night,  a 
drama,  entitled  "An  Orphan,"  by  the  pastor, 
the  Rev.  A.  F.  Sterger,  was  produced  before 
an  audience  that  overflowed  the  church.     The 


148  Driftwood  of  the  Sta^e. 

daughter  of  Dr.  Sterger  played  one  of  the  parts^ 
and  Dr.  Sterger  was  the  stage  director.  The 
play  dealt  with  the  joys  and  sorrows  of  an 
orphan  girl,  the  stage  settings  were  upon  the 
pulpit  platform,  and  the  costumes  were  appro- 
priate. 

The  Rev.  C.  H.  Jones,  of  the  First  Presby- 
terian Church,  of  Oswego,  N.  Y.,  shocked  the 
conservative  element  of  his  town  by  making  a 
contract  with  a  bill  poster  to  bill  the  city  adver- 
tising his  sermons  side  by  side  with  theatrical 
posters.  The  Rev.  John  Home  wrote  the  play 
"Douglas,"  and  was  deposed  from  the  ministry 
for  so  doing,  so  great  in  those  days  was  the 
prejudice  against  the  stage.  The  Rev.  Dr.  A. 
F.  Underbill  was  selected  as  treasurer  of  the 
fund  that  was  raised  for  the  relief  of  Clara 
Morris.  Robert  J.  Burdette,  the  humorist,  who 
turned  preacher,  held  his  first  service  in  the 
Temple  Church,  Los  Angeles,  Cal.  His  subject 
was  "Assured  Prosperity." 

The  corner  stone  of  the  Nixon  Theater  at 
Pittsburg,  was  laid  with  the  appropriate  ritual 
of  the  Protestant  Episcopal  Church.  The 
clergymen  officiating  were  Rev.  L.  W.  Shea 
and  Rev.  W.  J-  Dawson,  assistant  rectors  of 
Trinity  Church.     After  Samuel  S.  Nixon,  of 


Driftwood  of  the  Stage.  149 

the  firm  of  Nixon  and  Zimmerman,  had  placed 
the  box  in  the  niche  prepared  for  it,  Rev.  W. 
J.  Dawson  blessed  the  playhouse  and  christened 
it  "The  Nixon."  A  large  crowd  witnessed  the 
ceremonies. 

The  Rev.  Edward  Davis,  a  well-known  min- 
ister of  California,  adopted  the  stage  and  re- 
nounced the  ministry.  As  a  pulpit  orator  Mr. 
Davis  was  popular  when  pastor  of  the  Central 
Church  at  Oakland,  Cal.,  and  of  the  First 
Christian  Church  of  San  Francisco.  He  refused 
a  call  to  the  Loudon  Street  Temple,  Melbourne, 
Australia,  at  $5,000  a  year,  to  become  an  actor 
at  a  small  salary.  Spencer  Cone  retired  from 
the  profession  and  became  a  distinguished 
clergyman.  Charles  Weeks  gave  up  the  stage 
and  became  a  preacher  of  the  gospel.  After 
having  abused  the  profession  roundly  he  re- 
turned to  the  stage,  giving  as  his  reason  for 
so  doing  that  he  was  compelled  to  do  so  by 
sheer  necessity,  having  a  mother  and  young  sis- 
ters depending  on  him  for  support. 

W.  W.  Pratt,  actor,  author  and  manager,  left 
the  stage  to  become  a  preacher  and  temperance 
lecturer.  He  wrote  the  play,  "Ten  Nights  in  a 
Bar  Room."  The  Rev.  John  Weiss,  of  Boston, 
wrote  a  new  fifth  act  for  Maggie  Mitchell's 


150  Driftzi'ood  of  the  Stage. 

famous  play  of  *'Fanchon."  The  great  show- 
man, P.  T.  Barnum,  was  a  noted  temperance 
advocate  and  lectured  on  that  subject  for  years. 
Dan  Rice  at  one  time  was  a  temperance  lec- 
turer. To  the  elder  Booth  all  forms  of  religion 
and  all  temples  of  devotion  were  sacred,  and  in 
passing  churches  he  never  failed  to  bare  his 
head  reverently.  J.  P.  Adams,  a  well-known 
comedian,  became  a  leader  in  the  Mormon 
Church.  The  Rev.  William  B.  Shean  gave  up 
the  pastorate  of  a  church  at  Peru,  Ind.,  and 
joined  the  circus  as  a  lecturer  on  the  animals 
in  the  menagerie. 

Some  of  our  most  prominent  operatic  stars 
are  graduates  from  the  church  choir.  One  of 
the  most  popular  opera  companies  the  country 
ever  had  was  known  as  the  Chicago  Church 
Choir  Company.  The  Gorman  Philadelphia 
Church  Choir  Company  was  made  up  entirely 
of  singers  from  the  choirs  of  churches  at  the 
city  of  Brotherly  Love. 

James  A.  Heme  would  often  occupy  the  pul- 
pit of  churches  in  cities  where  he  would  play 
during  the  week,  and  large  audiences  were  the 
rule.  Frederick  Warde  delivered  a  splendid 
address  from  the  pulpit  of  Grace  Episcopal 
Church,  Cedar  Rapids,  Iowa,  and  the  interest 


Driftwood  of  the  Sta^e.  151 

was  so  great  that  the  church  was  packed  an 
hour  before  the  service.  The  newspapers  of 
that  city  devoted  many  columns  to  the  event 
the  following  day.  The  Rev.  Dr.  Green,  the 
rector,  conducted  the  services,  and  in  introduc- 
ing Mr.  Warde  spoke  very  effectively  on  the 
relations  between  the  church  and  the  drama  and 
the  great  good  already  accomplished  in  bringing 
them  together. 

The  great  temperance  orator,  John  B.  Gough, 
was  at  one  time  an  esteemed  member  of  the 
theatrical  profession,  and  labored  long  in  the 
cause  which  he  espoused.  Bob  Hart,  a  famous 
minstrel  in  his  day,  took  up  the  work  of  an 
evangelist,  and  later  was  ordained  a  clergyman 
and  became  widely  known  under  his  right  name, 
Rev.  James  M.  Sutherland.  He  associated 
himself  with  a  sweet  singer  by  the  name  of 
Dwyer,  who  had  long  been  with  Bryant's  Min- 
strels, but  left  the  stage  to  take  up  the  work  of 
an  evangelist. 

One  of  our  most  successful  managers  had  a 
religious  objection  to  the  giving  of  Sunday  per- 
formances, and  for  years  refused  to  accept  any 
of  the  proceeds  of  a  performance  given  on  that 
day  from  his  partners.  Many  of  our  most 
noted  actors  rebel  against  playing  on  Sunday, 


152  Driftwood  of  the  Stage. 

and  the  theaters  in  localities  that  usually  give 
performances  on  that  day  are  compelled  to  close 
during  their  engagements. 

It  is  to  the  church  choir  that  the  stage  is 
indebted  for  Alice  Neilson,  Grace  Van  Studdi- 
ford,  Fanchon  Thompson,  Jessie  Bartlett  Davis 
and  Adele  Rafter.  It  w^ould  be  hard  indeed  to 
estimate  how  many  times  these  ladies  have  sung 
for  church  charities  during  their  stage  career. 
May  Fielding  sang  in  the  choir  of  Christ 
Church,  Detroit,  Mich.,  before  she  joined  Au- 
gustin  Daly's  company  at  New  York,  which 
v»as  her  first  appearance  on  any  stage.  The  first 
time  lyillian  Russell  ever  sang  in  public  was  in 
the  Central  Methodist  Episcopal  Church  at  the 
same  city.  Maxine  Elliott  began  her  public 
career  by  singing  in  the  choir  of  a  Baptist 
church  in  a  small  village  in  Maine. 

There  are  many  professionals  who  are  liberal 
givers  to  the  church,  as  well  as  regular  attend- 
ants. Their  names  are  often  found  on  sub- 
scription lists  for  the  support  of  orphan  asylums, 
homes  for  friendless  children  and  other  church 
charities.  It  was  through  Frank  Queen's  liber- 
ality that  the  Methodist  E-piscopal  Mariner's 
Bethel  Church  at  Philadelphia  was  built.  He 
provided  the  money  with  which  the  ground  was 


Driftwood  of  the  Stage.  153 

purchased,  and  furnished  nearly  all  the  funds 
with  which  to  construct  the  church  and  parson- 
age. This  amount  was  $85,000,  without  interest 
or  any  paper  to  show^  indebtedness.  When  the 
building-  was  completed  he  gave  many  thou- 
sands of  dollars  towards  its  support. 

In  different  parts  of  the  country  will  be  found 
houses  of  worship  which  contain  handsome 
paintings,  rich  stained  glass  windows,  finely 
carved  altars,  sweet  toned  organs,  valuable  com- 
munion plate  and  costly  vestments  given  by  or 
purchased  with  funds  contributed  by  people  of 
the  stage. 

Many  well  known  professionals  will  not  play 
on  Good  Friday,  and  some  have  religious 
scruples  against  playing  at  all  during  Holy 
Week.  For  many  years  it  was  the  rule  that 
no  performance  be  given  at  Daly's  Theater, 
New  York,  on  Good  Friday,  the  late  Augustin 
Daly  being  a  Catholic.  After  Mr.  Daly's  death 
the  custom  was  kept  up.  This  mark  of  respect 
is  worthy  of  more  than  passing  notice,  as  the 
house  passed  into  the  hands  of  Daniel  Froh- 
man,  a  Hebrew. 


154  Driftwood  of  the  Stage. 


SONGS  OF  OTHER  DAYS. 


Everyone  loves  the  songs  and  traditions  of 
his  country,  but  that  is  particularly  true  of  the 
American.  He  is  an  exceedingly  emotional  be- 
ing; a  homely  ballad  sung  in  a  homely  way  is 
never  unnoticed  by  him.  He  loves  the  song 
and  he  loves  the  singer. 

Of  late  years  there  has  been  a  tendency  to 
sing  the  street  song  rather  than  the  old-time 
ballad.  The  songs  that  are  learned  in  child- 
hood are  rarely  forgotten;  they  will  ring  true 
all  through  life,  so  only  those  should  be  learned 
that  are  good  and  beautiful.  Where  can  you 
find  anything  sweeter  than  "Old  Folks  at 
Home"?  It  is  one  of  our  folk  songs.  Who 
has  not  been  moved  to  tears  by  its  plaintive  air 
and  words  fraught  with  homesickness?  There 
have  been  all  sorts  of  stories  told  about  this 
beautiful  song,  which  was  written  by  Stephen 
C.  Foster.  His  best  songs  were  for  years 
credited  to  Edwin  P.  Christy,  the  negro  min- 
strel, under  whose  name  they  appeared.  It  was 
not  until  "Old  Folks  at  Home,"  "Old  Black 


Driftzvood  of  the  Sta^e.  155 

Joe,"  ''Massa's  in  the  Cold,  Cold  Ground," 
'*My  Old  Kentucky  Home,"  and  the  rest  had 
been  made  popular  by  the  Christy  Minstrels  that 
it  became  known  that  Foster  was  their  author, 

''The  Last  Rose  of  Summer"  is  made  im- 
mortal, first  through  Tom  Moore,  and  also  as 
a  musical  gem  from  Flotow's  opera  of 
''Martha."  "Nellie  Gray"  is  another  sweet  old 
song.  "Annie  Lisle,"  "Sally  in  Our  Alley"  and 
"Kathleen  Mavourneen"  are  old  songs  full  of 
pathos.  "Comin'  Thro'  the  Rye,"  "Robin 
Adair,"  "Annie  Laurie"  and  "When  the  Swal- 
lows Homeward  Fly,"  like  "The  Last  Rose  of 
Summer,"  are  ours  by  adoption.  "Old  Dog 
Tray,"  "Ben  Bolt,"  "Hard  Times  Come  Again 
No  More,"  "The  Little  Brown  Jug"  and 
"Paddle  Your  Own  Canoe"  were  among  the 
great  song  successes  of  bygone  days. 

But  perhaps  those  we  love  best  were  written 
during  the  civil  war.  "The  Vacant  Chair," 
"Tenting  on  the  Old  Camp  Ground,"  "Just  Be- 
lore  the  Battle,  Mother,"  "Tramp,  Tramp. 
Tramp,  the  Boys  are  Marching,"  and  "Johnny 
Has  Gone  for  a  Soldier,"  were  great  favorites 
of  the  boys  in  blue,  and  "The  Bonnie  Blue 
Flag,"  "Dixie,"  and  "Maryland,  My  Mary- 
land," were  the  rallying  songs  of  those  who 


156  Driftzvood  of  the  Sta^e. 

espoused  the  lost  cause.  Our  patriotic  songs, 
"The  Star  Spangled  Banner,"  "America,"  and 
"Columbia,  the  Gem  of  the  Ocean,"  are  only 
equaled  in  popularity  by  "Marching  Through 
Georgia." 

The  lack  of  knowledge  Americans  have  of 
their  national  songs  is  often  noted.  Returning 
to  their  native  land  one  summer  by  an  English 
ship  was  a  large  number  of  Americans.  On 
Sunday  the  captain  read  service  in  the  dining 
saloon  and  at  its  close,  in  deference  probably 
to  the  preponderance  of  Americans  in  his  com- 
pany, designated  "America"  as  the  hymnn  to  be 
sung.  Everybody  stood  up  and  the  first  verse 
was  given  with  a  gusto.  Much  weaker  in 
volume  was  the  singing  of  the  second  verse. 
The  third  began  with  only  two  or  three  voices 
that  trailed  off  into  dead  silence  before  its  end, 
though  the  organ  kept  bravely  on. 

Either  the  captain  intended  it  from  the  first, 
or  else  the  weakness  of  the  singing  suggested 
it  to  him,  but  at  the  finish  he  asked  for  "God 
Save  the  King."  Then  it  was  that  the  Ameri- 
cans were  ashamed  to  listen  to  the  handful  of 
Englishmen  sing  lustily  and  with  confidence,  led 
by  the  captain  himself,  their  national  anthem 
from  start  to  finish. 


Driftwood  of  the  Sta^e.  157 

In  the  early  part  of  the  sixties,  the  populai 
songs  were  ''Swinging  in  the  Lane,"  ''Her 
Bright  Smile  Haunts  Me  Still,"  "Maggie  May" 
and  "Oh,  Dear,  What  Can  the  Matter  Be." 
Much  of  their  success,  however,  was  due  to  the 
fact  that  they  were  sung  in  the  public  schools 
of  New  York.  A  little  later  we  had  "Silver 
Threads  Among  the  Gold,"  "The  Mabel 
Waltz,"  "Gathering  Shells  by  the  Seashore" 
"Put  Me  in  My  Little  Bed,"  "Come,  Birdie, 
Come,"  and  "Put  My  Little  Shoes  Away," 
which  all  became  popular. 

It  often  occurred  that  singers  would  become 
identified  with  certain  songs,  and  no  one  would 
think  of  infringing  on  their  supposed  rights. 
If  one  went  to  the  minstrels  and  Dan  Bryant 
was  on  the  end  you  were  sure  to  hear  "Lani- 
gan's  Ball,"  "Finnigan's  Wake,"  or  some  other 
rollicking  Irish  song.  If  Joe  Murphy  was  on 
the  end  you  would  hear  "Gypsy  Davy,"  and  if 
it  happened  to  be  Hughey  Dougherty  you  were 
sure  of  "Sweet  Evelena."  Fred  Waltz,  a  singer 
in  the  Philadelphia  minstrel  halls,  for  many 
years  sang  a  ballad  called  "Dorkins'  Night,"  and 
J.  L.  Carncross  at  the  same  city  for  a  long  time 
sang  "Over  the  Garden  Wall"  and  "The  Blue 
Alsatian  Mountains."     The    bass    singer    was 


158  Driftwood  of  the  Stage. 

always  expected  to  sing^  ''Rocked  in  the  Cradle 
of  the  Deep"  or  "Dublin  Bay,"  and  the 
quartette  were  sure  to  favor  the  audience  with 
"Larboard  Watch"  and  "Come  Where  My 
Love  Lies  Dreaming." 

At  a  rehearsal  of  the  San  Francisco  Minstrels 
one  morning,  Dave  Wambold,  who  sang  so 
beautifully  "My  Pretty  Red  Rose"  and  "The 
Letter  in  the  Candle,"  surprised  his  associates 
with  his  intention  of  singing  "The  Sweet  Bye 
and  Bye."  By  some  this  was  thought  to  be  sacri- 
legious, and  would  be  resented  by  the  press  and 
public,  as  it  had  always  been  looked  upon  as  a 
piece  of  religious  music  and  had  no  place  in 
the  theater.  They  were  much  mistaken,  how- 
ever. It  had  never  been  sung  as  Mr.  Wam- 
bold sang  it.  and  in  a  few  days  all  New  York 
was  singing  it.  The  sale  of  this  song  reached 
over  half  a  million  copies.  All  minstrel  per- 
formances closed  with  a  walk  around  by  the 
entire  company,  and  the  most  popular  songs 
used  for  this  number  were  "Carry  the  News  to 
Mary"  and  "Walk  Along,  John." 

In  the  vaudevilles  the  first  of  the  comic 
vocalists,  as  they  were  then  called,  were  Tony 
Pastor,  Billy  Pastor,  George  R.  Edeson  and 
Billy  Holmes.     Among    the    first    songs  that 


Driftwood  of  the  Sta^e.  159 

Tony  Pastor  sang  on  the  stage  were  "J^^ 
Bowers"  and  "Pretty  Polly  Perkins  of  Wash- 
ington Square."  It  would  be  hard  indeed  to 
try  and  enumerate  all  the  songs  that  this  gen- 
tleman sang  in  his  long  career,  but  his  most 
popular  ones  were  "Tommy,  Make  Room  for 
Your  Auntie,"  "Jockey  Hat  and  Feather,"  "It's 
for  Money,"  '"Down  in  a  Coal  Mine,"  "Whoa! 
Emma!"  and  "Where  Was  Moses  When  the 
Light  Went  Out?"  In  1867  Charles  A.  Vivian 
came  to  this  country  and  brought  with  him 
"Ten  Thousand  Miles  Away,"  "Up  in  a  Bal- 
loon," and  several  other  songs  that  became 
quite  popular.  Then  we  had  "Champagne 
Charlie,"  "Tassels  on  the  Boots,"  "Moet  and 
Chandon,"  "Any  Ornaments  for  Your  Mantel- 
piece," and  others  of  that  sort.  The  ladies  who 
were  billed  as  serio-comic  vocalists  used  to  sing 
"The  Ckptain  With  His  Whiskers,"  "Winking 
at  Me,"  "Starry  Night  for  a  Ramble,"  "March- 
ing Through  the  Park,"  and  "The  Man  in  the 
Moon." 

Will  Carleton,  a  famous  Irish  singer,  gave 
us  a  new  style  of  song  with  his  "Dandy  Pat" 
and  "The  Whistling  Thief."  Later,  Pat 
Rooney  introduced  "Pretty  Peggy"  and  "Danc- 
ing Round  with  Julia."      Pete    Cannon    sang 


i6o  Driftwood  of  the  Stage. 

"On  Board  the  Bugaboo"  and  ''Water  on  the 
Brain."  Most  of  the  Irish  comedians  had  in 
their  repertoire  "My  Father  Sold  Charcoal/' 
"Apples  and  Pears"  and  "The  Dublin  Dancing 
Master." 

Two  beautiful  songs  written  by  Matt 
O'Reardon  were  "Marriage  Bells"  and  "My 
Dream  of  Love  is  O'er."  A  pathetic  story  has 
been  told  of  the  love  of  the  author  for  a  well- 
known  actress,  v^^hich  was  unreturned.  The 
announcement  of  her  marriage  to  another  was 
soon  followed  by  these  two  musical  gems.  A 
broken  heart,  a  miserable  ending  and  an  un- 
known grave  was  the  lot  of  this  gifted  musician. 
Other  songs  worthy  of  mention  were  "Baby 
Mine,"  "Wait  Till  the  Clouds  Roll  By,"  "A 
Flower  from  My  Angel  Mother's  Grave," 
"When  the  Leaves  Begin  to  Turn,"  "Seeing 
Nellie  Home,"  "Beautiful  Bells,"  "Down  by 
the  Old  Mill  Stream,"  "The  Lively  Flea," 
"Wait  for  the  Wagon,"  and  "You'll  Never 
Miss  the  Water  Till  the  Well  Runs  Dry." 

The  songs  of  William  J.  Scanlan  must  not 
be  overlooked.  To  hear  his  name  is  to  think 
of  "Peek-a-Boo!"  "My  Nellie's  Blue  Eyes" 
and  "Gathering  the  Myrtle  with  Mary."  The 
children  of  a  decade  were  rocked  to  sleep  to  the 


Drifizvood  of  the  Sttn^e.  i6i 


music  of  his  "Bye,  Baby,  Bye  Bye."  The  first 
to  write  parodies  on  popular  songs  was  Gus 
Williams.  One  of  the  first  songs  used  by  this 
gentleman  was  'Tolly,  Put  the  Kettle  On." 
Among  his  many  successful  German  parodies 
may  be  mentioned  ''Mygel  Schneider's  Party,'* 
'Tins  and  Needles,"  "The  German  Fifth,"  and 
''You'll  Never  Miss  the  Lager  Till  the  Keg 
Runs  Dry."  J.  K.  Emmett,  who  had  been  an 
orchestra  drummer  in  St.  Louis,  entered  the 
professional  ranks  as  a  Dutch  song  and  dance 
artist  with  such  songs  as  "The  Deitcher  Gal 
vot  Winked  of  Me"  and  "Happy  Leetle 
Deitcher,"  a  parody  on  "Happy  Little  Darkies." 
His  greatest  hit  was  made  with  one  of  Mr. 
Williams'  songs,  "Keiser,  Don't  You  Want  to 
Buy  a  Dog?"  Later  Mr.  Emmett  gave  to  us 
some  of  the  most  beautiful  songs  ever  sung  on 
the  stage.  The  most  popular  were  "The  Moun- 
tain Guide,"^  in  which  he  introduced  his  drum 
solo,  "The  Cuckoo,"  "Sweet  Violets," 
"Schneider,  How  You  Was?"  and  the  world- 
famous  "Lullaby." 

There  were  always  plenty  of  songs  that  told 
of  the  beauty  of  certain  flowers.  Among  the 
best  were  "Pretty  Pond  Lillies,"  "Little  Bunch 
of  Lilacs,"  "Where    the    Flowers    Blush    and 


1 62  Driftwood  of  the  Stage. 

Bloom"  and  "Only  a  Pansy  Blossom."  The 
soldier  was  always  a  good  subject  for  the  song 
writer,  and  we  were  given  ''The  Gallant  Sixty- 
Ninth/'  "The  Grenadier  Drum  Major,"  "Cap- 
tain Jinks  of  the  Horse  Marines,"  "The  Regu- 
lar Army,  O!"  "The  Charleston  Blues"  and 
"The  Skidmore  Guards." 

That  inimitable  wit,  J.  W.  Kelly,  equally 
good  in  song  and  story,  used  to  say  in  one  of 
his  monologues:  "Did  you  ever  notice  how 
many  songs  have  been  written  about  mother? 
There  is  'Take  Me  Back  to  Home  and  Mother,' 
*A  Boy's  Best  Friend  is  His  Mother,'  and  a  lot 
more.  They  seem  to  overlook  father.  The 
only  songs  they  ever  wrote  about  him  had  him 
drunk  on  the  street  and  a  half -starved  child 
saying,  'Father,  Dear  Father,  Come  Home 
With  Me  Now.'  Another  one  is  'The  Old 
Man's  Drunk  Again.'  Some  one  wrote  a  song 
'You're  So  Good,  Daddy,'  but  it  was  a  failure. 
No  one  would  believe  it.  One  song  tells  of  an 
old  man  who  has  reared  a  large  family.  They 
have  no  futher  use  for  him  and  he  is  sent  'Over 
the  Hills  to  the  Poorhouse.'  Even  this  old  man 
on  his  way  to  a  home  as  a  county  charge  is  not 
given  a  decent  road  to  walk  on,  but  is  made  to 
climb  a  lot  of  hills  to  get  there." 


Driftwood  of  the  Sta^e.  163 

The  old-time  song  and  dance  men  were  the 
authors  of  a  number  of  very  good  songs.  Har- 
rigan  and  Hart  are  best  placed  in  this  class,  as 
their  first  joint  appearance  was  in  a  black-face 
song  and  dance,  and  they  soon  after  found 
much  favor  with  the  public  for  their  fine  rendi- 
tion of  "The  Little  Fraud."  Still  later  this 
team  came  to  the  front  with  such  songs  as  "The 
Mulligan  Guards,"  "The  Mulcahey  Twins," 
"Babies  on  Our  Block,"  "Slavery  Days,"  "Way 
Up  at  Dudley's  Grove,"  "Never  Take  the 
Horseshoe  From  the  Door,"  and  scores  of 
others  of  equal  merit. 

Among  Bobby  Newcomb's  most  successful 
songs  were  "Sweet  Forget-Me-Not"  and 
"Crossing  on  the  Ferry."  He  was  the  author 
of  many  songs  that  became  hits  in  the  vaude- 
villes. What  would  be  thought  now  of  a  per- 
son that  would  sing  one  song  for  three  suc- 
cessive years?  Dave  Reed  did  this  at  the 
breaking  out  of  the  civil  war,  with  "Sally,  Come 
Up."  Several  years  after,  in  conjunction  with 
Dan  Bryant,  he  made  "Shoo,  Fly,"  famous, 
when  the  old  Bryant's  Minstrels  were  located 
in  Tammany  Hall,  New  York.  Ben  Cotton, 
the  first  to  portray  the  aged  darkey  on  the  stage, 
for  many  years  sang  "Old  Uncle  Snow"  in  such 


164  Driftzvood  of  the  Stage. 


a  manner  that  neither  the  management  nor  pub- 
he  seemed  to  care  for  a  change. 

The  first  song  that  Billy  Emerson  sang  when 
he  entered  the  profession  was  ''Saucy  Sam.'' 
but  afterwards  became  identified  with  the  "Big 
Sunflower."  Performers  in  this  class  had  songs 
with  such  titles  as  "Nicodemus  Johnson," 
"Josephus  Orangeblossom,"  "Adolphus  Morn- 
inglory"  and  ''Rebecca  Jane."  Those  doing  a 
neat  specialty  preferred  "My  Gal,"  "Pretty  as 
a  Picture,"  "Riding  in  a  Street  Car,"  "Dancing 
in  the  Barn,"  "Where  the  Ivy  Grows  So 
Green,"  and  others  of  the  same  style. 

Delehanty  and  Hengler,  in  addition  to  being 
considered  the  best  the  stage  ever  knew  in  their 
line  of  work,  composed  the  words  and  music  of 
all  their  songs.  To  them  we  were  indebted  for 
"Love  Among  the  Roses,"  "Darling  Mignon- 
ette," "Strawberries  and  Cream,"  and  others 
too  numerous  to  mention.  They  were  the 
authors  of  "Happy  Hottentots,"  which  they 
were  the  first  to  introduce.  The  press  criticized 
the  song  as  some  of  the  lines  had  a  tendency 
to  advertise  a  then  famous  patent  medicine, 
•Helmbold's  Buchu,  and  they  withdrew  it,  re- 
turning to  their  former  neat  specialty. 

No  more  are  heard  such  sweet  melodies  as 


Driftwood  of  the  Stage.  165 

"Mollie  Darling,"  "Sweet  Be  Thy  Repose," 
"Ever  of  Thee,"  ''Waitmg  My  Darling  for 
Thee,"  "Beautiful  Isle  of  the  Sea,"  "Good-Bye, 
Sweetheart,  Good-Bye,"  "Write  Me  a  Letter 
from  Home,"  "The  Fisherman  and  His  Child," 
"The  Danube  River"  and  such  comic  ditties  as 
"Cruel  Mary  Holder,"  "Courting  in  the  Rain," 
"The  Grecian  Bend,"  "Billy  Boy,"  "Dolly  Var- 
den,"  "The  Bell  Goes  Ringing  for  garah,"  and 
**Lord  Lovell."  They  have  been  long  forgotten, 
and  can  only  be  classed  among  the  swe**!  mem- 
ories of  bygone  days. 


1 66  Driftwood  of  the  Stage. 


AT  REST. 


In  the  beautiful  Mt.  Auburn  Cemetery, 
Boston,  Mass.,  is  the  grave  of  Charlotte  Cush- 
man,  laid  to  rest  after  a  stage  career  of  forty 
years,  and  not  far  distant  are  the  graves  of 
Helen  and  Lucille  Western,  famous  actresses  in 
their  day,  and  who  traveled  all  over  the  country 
as  successful  stars.  In  this  same  cemetery  are 
the  remains  of  Mary  Devlin,  the  first  wife  of 
Edwin  Booth,  who  passed  away  at  Dorchester, 
Mass.,  February  21,  1863,  at  23  years  of  age. 
She  rests  beside  her  husband  in  this  peaceful 
place.  Mary  F.  McVicker,  the  second  Mrs. 
Booth,  died  at  New  York,  November  13,  1881, 
at  the  age  of  32,  and  is  buried  at  Chicago. 

Jenny  Lind,  one  of  the  most  popular  singers 
ever  heard  in  this  country,  died  at  London, 
England,  November  2,  1887.  On  April  20, 
1894,  a  tablet  was  unveiled  in  Westminster 
Abbey  to  her  memory.  The  remains  of  Fanny 
Davenport  were  interred  in  Forest  Hill  Ceme- 
tery, Boston,  Mass.  The  great  tragedian,  Ed- 
ward L.  Davenport,  and  his  wife  are  buried 


Henry  B.  Harris. 


Driftivood  of  the  Sta^e.  167 

side  by  side  in  the  same  plot.  Mary  Scott-Sid- 
dons  died  at  Paris,  November  19,  1896.  Her 
remains  were  taken  to  England  and  buried  in 
Woking  Cemetery,  London. 

Mrs.  John  Drew,  after  many  years  of  faith- 
ful service  to  the  public  as  actress  and  man- 
ageress, was  laid  to  rest  in  Glenwood  Cemetery, 
at  Philadelphia,  beside  her  husband,  who  passed 
away  in  May,  1862.  The  remains  of  her 
daughter  Georgia  Drew  Barrymore,  who  died 
in  California  in  the  summer  of  1893,  are  in- 
terred in  the  same  plot.  Agnes  Ethel,  noted 
for  her  fine  portrayal  of  emotional  roles,  and 
who  left  the  stage  at  the  height  of  her  success, 
was  cremated  and  her  ashes  buried  in  Forest 
Lawn  Cemetery,  Buffalo,  N.  Y. 

Nina  Varian,  an  exceptionally  clever  actress 
and  universal  favorite,  died  at  sea.  The  im- 
pressive burial  service  usually  accorded  to  those 
who  die  on  shipboard  was  read,  and  her  body 
Committed  to  the  deep.  Bernice  Wheeler,  an- 
other stage  favorite,  found  a  watery  grave  in 
the  wreck  of  the  steamer  La  Bourgogne,  July 
4,  1898.  Annie  Pixley  was  cremated  and  so 
was  Emma  Abbott.  The  ashes  of  the  latter 
are  buried  beneath  a  handsome  monument  at 
Gloucester,  Mass.     Lizzie  Creese  was  cremated 


1 68  Driftzvood  of  the  Stage. 

at  Fresh  Pond,  Long  Island,  and  her  ashes  de- 
posited in  a  copper  urn  in  the  mortuary  chapel 
at  that  place. 

Laura  Keene,  whose  dramatic  career  was 
very  eventful,  and  who  at  one  time  held  a  posi- 
tion of  influence  upon  local  dramatic  affairs  in 
New  York,  died  at  Montclair,  N.  J.,  November 
5,  1873,  and  was  there  buried  in  the  Catholic 
Cemetery.  At  her  own  request  her  death  was 
not  publicly  announced  until  the  last  rites  were 
performed. 

Adelaide  Neilson,  a  remarkably  beautiful  and 
accomplished  actress,  whose  farewell  perform- 
ance in  this  country  took  place  at  Baldwin's 
Theater,  San  Francisco,  July  17,  1880,  died  at 
Paris,  August  15,  of  the  same  year.  Her  body 
was  taken  to  England  and  laid  away  in  Bromp- 
ton  Cemetery,  London.  All  that  was  mortal  of 
her  is  now  covered  by  a  cross  of  white  marble, 
inscribed  with  her  name,  date  of  death  and  the 
words :  "Gifted  and  Beautiful.  Resting."  Alice 
Dunning  Lingard,  a  vocalist  and  actress  of 
much  talent,  who  came  to  this  country  in  1868, 
and  appeared  in  many  of  the  most  successful 
burlesques  produced  at  that  time,  is  buried  in 
the  same  cemetery. 

The  tomb  of  the  great  Rachael    is    in    the 


Driftwood  of  the  Stage.  169 

Cemetery  of  Pere  la  Chaise  at  Paris.  The  re- 
mains of  Sibyl  Sanderson  were  cremated  and 
the  ashes  interred  in  a  peaceful  spot  but  a  short 
distance  away.  In  the  same  cemetery  will  be 
found  the  plain  and  massive  arched  blocks  of 
granite  constructed  by  Sarah  Bernhardt  as  a 
mausoleum  for  her  remains  in  the  event  of  her 
death.  Mile.  Henriot,  the  young  actress  burned 
to  death  at  the  fire  in  the  Comedie  Francaise  at 
Paris  in  1899,  is  buried  in  the  Passy  Cemetery 
at  the  same  city. 

The  tomb  of  Adah  Isaacs  Menken,  a  bril- 
liant actress,  who  was  as  well  known  in  Europe 
as  in  her  own  country,  is  in  Mont  Parnasse 
Cemetery,  at  Paris.  Her  remains  were  tem- 
porarily interred  in  the  strangers'  burying 
ground  in  Pere  la  Chaise  Cemetery  at  that  city, 
and  about  a  year  later  removed  to  their  present 
resting  place.  Her  last  appearance  before  the 
public  was  at  her  own  benefit  at  Sadler's  Wells 
Theater,  London,  May  30,   1868. 

Arrangements  had  been  made  to  produce 
"Les  Pirates  de  la  Savene"  at  the  Theater 
Chatelet,  Paris,  in  July,  1868,  on  the  grandest 
scale  ever  attempted,  with  the  great  American 
artiste  as  the  heroine.  The  air  of  the  city  was 
too  strong,  and  she  was  removed  to  Bougeval, 


170  Driftwood  of  the  Stage. 

in  the  south  of  France,  but  disease  had  fastened 
itself  upon  her,  and  she  had  to  take  to  her  bed. 

The  engagement  was  postponed  for  a  month, 
and,  hoping  against  hope,  whenever  the  man- 
agers called  they  were  told  that  Miss  Menken 
needed  no  rehearsal,  but  would  do  her  best  to  be 
at  the  theater  in  good  season.  Being  put  off 
every  time  and  unable  to  see  her,  the  managers 
appealed  to  the  law,  and  finally  took  with  them 
two  gendarmes  to  compel  her  to  go  to  the  last 
rehearsal.  Demanding  admittance  to  her 
chamber,  her  maid,  opening  the  door,  said: 
*'There  she  lies — it  is  too  late  now."  Poor 
Menken  had  passed  away  that  very  day,  August 
10,  1868. 

During  the  Franco-Prussian  war,  some  years 
later,  the  Mont  Parnasse  Cemetery  was  often 
bombarded,  and  many  tombstones  leveled,  but 
Menken's  tomb  remained  untouched  through- 
out. Her  grave  has  got  to  be  a  sort  of  pilgrim- 
age to  Americans  visiting  Paris,  and  many 
people  of  the  stage  have  from  time  to  time 
brought  over  little  mementos  from  the  grave 
and  placed  new  ones  there. 

Mrs.  Edwin  Forrest  died  at  New  York  in 
189 1,  and  her  grave  is  in  Silver  Mount  Ceme- 
tery, Staten  Island.     Emma  Vern  is  buried  at 


Driftwood  of  the  Stage.  171 

Leadville,  Col.,  and  a  rough  pile  of  stones  placed 
there  by  professional  friends  marks  her  rest- 
ing-place. Lola  Montez,  best  known  as  a 
danceuse,  although  at  different  times  she  had 
appeared  in  speaking  parts  and  as  a  lecturer  on 
spiritualism,  after  a  life  full  of  adventure  passed 
away  in  a  sanitarium  at  Astoria,  N.  Y.,  June 
30,  1861.  In  her  earlier  days  she  gave  away 
fortunes  to  the  needy,  but  died  in  poverty,  and 
is  buried  in  Greenwood  Cemetery,  Brooklyn, 
N.  Y.  Rachael  Denvil  is  buried  in  Holy  Cross 
Cemetery,  Flatbush,  Long  Island. 

Gertie  Granville  was  laid  to  rest  in  St.  John's 
Cemetery,  Worcester,  Mass.;  Eimily  Stowe  in 
Rural  Cemetery,  Albany,  N.  Y. ;  Sadie  Scan- 
Ion  in  Calvary  Cemetery,  Brooklyn,  N.  Y. 
Ellie  Wilton  is  buried  in  the  old  cemetery  at 
Flushing,  L.  I.;  Anna  Clay,  at  Reading,  Pa.; 
Dorothy  Wolfe,  Winchester,  Va.,  and  Jessie 
May,  LaSalle,  N.  Y. 

No  monument  of  enduring  marble,  no  tablet 
of  everlasting  brass,  marks  the  spot  where  lie 
the  remains  of  Margaret  Mather.  She  sleeps 
in  EJmwood  Cemetery,  Detroit,  Mich.,  one  of 
the  most  peacefully  beautiful  burial  places  in 
the  country.  On  every  side  of  her  burial  place 
there  are  beautiful  and  costly  monuments,  many 


172  Driftzvood  of  the  Stage. 

of  them  marking  the  graves  of  those  who  were 
not  known  in  life  outside  of  their  hmited  circle, 
and  are  not  remembered  now  by  others  man 
the  members  of  their  families.  This  makes  all 
the  more  impressive  the  absence  of  any  shaft 
by  which  to  distinguish  the  tomb  of  this  fine 
actress. 

It  seems  the  very  irony  of  fate  that  in  this 
beautiful  city  of  the  dead,  where  stately  monu- 
ments and  heroic  statues  greet  one's  eyes  on 
every  hand,  there  should  have  been  no  care  to 
commemorate  the  fame  and  distinguish  the 
grave  of  this  princess  of  the  stage.  Her  life 
was  one  of  disappointment,  her  death  perhaps 
a  happy  release,  and  now  that  of  her  which 
was  mortal  crumbles  awav  to  dust,  "the  world 
forgetting,  by  the  world  forgot."  Standing  by 
the  grave  of  Margaret  Mather,  noting  the  utter 
absence  of  any  appropriate  mark  of  commem- 
oration, and  seeing  on  every  hand  beautiful  and 
costly  tokens  of  affection  and  admiration  to 
mark  the  resting-place  of  far  less  distinguished 
persons,  one  is  led  to  say,  with  Kipling :  "Lord 
God  of  hosts,  be  with  us  yet,  lest  we  forget,  lest 
we  forget." 

Caroline  Richings  Bernard  died  of  smallpox 
at  Richmond,  Va.,  January  14,  1882,  and  was 


Driftzvood  of  the  Sta^e.  173 

there  buried.  On  Christmas  Day,  188 1,  she 
sang  in  the  Kirst  Baptist  Church  at  that  city, 
and  that  was  her  last  public  appearance.  A 
singular  and  touching  incident  is  told  of  her 
burial.  On  the  day  of  her  funeral  a  mocking- 
bird escaped  from  its  cage  in  a  distant  part  of 
the  city,  and  though  diligent  search  was  made 
could  not  be  found.  As  the  last  clods  of  earth 
were  being  thrown  on  the  grave  of  the  singer,  a 
succession  of  trills  and  sweet  warbling  poured 
forth  from  the  throat  of  a  mocking-bird  perched 
in  a  tree  near  by.  It  was  recognized  as  the 
missing  bird.  At  sundown  it  returned  to  its 
home  and  went  back  into  its  cage,  which  had 
been  left  open  at  the  window. 

In  Cypress  Hills  Cemetery,  Brooklyn,  N. 
Y.,  repose  all  that  was  mortal  of  Mrs.  William 
Harris,  who  before  her  retirement  to  private 
life  was  known  as  Helen  Revere.  She  was  a 
liberal  dispenser  of  charity,  and  died  as  she 
had  lived,  one  of  the  most  dearly  beloved  women 
in  the  profession. 

Alice  Hastings  is  buried  in  Mt.  Vernon 
Cemetery,  Philadelphia,  Pa.;  Alice  Montague- 
West,  at  Lancaster,  Pa.;  Grace  Hunter,  Berlin, 
Ohio;  Grace  Golden,  New  Harmony,  Ind. ; 
Belle  Archer,  Hasten,  Pa. ;  Kate  Castleton,  Oak- 


174  Driftwood  of  the  Stage. 

land,  Cal. ;  Patti  Rosa,  Chicago,  111. ;  Etta  Ed- 
munds Hill,  Macon,  Ga. ;  Leonora  St.  Felix 
and  Katie  Hart,  Brooklyn,  N.  Y.  The  remains 
of  Helen  Mora  were  cremated  and  the  ashes  in- 
terred in  E.vergreen  Cemetery,  Brooklyn,  N.  Y. 

In  the  Catholic  Cemetery  at  Craw  fords  ville, 
Ind.,  are  the  remains  of  Irma  VonRokoy,  the 
Austrian  danceuse,  whose  life  was  crushed  out 
in  a  terrible  wreck  which  occurred  on  the  Monon 
Route  near  that  city.  The  hearts  of  the  entire 
population  seemed  to  go  out  in  sympathy  for 
this  unfortunate  lady  in  a  strange  land,  and 
one  of  the  largest  funeral  corteges  ever  known 
in  that  city  followed  her  to  the  grave.  Kate 
Hassett,  who  met  with  a  sad  and  untimely  death 
at  Philadelphia,  was  laid  to  rest  at  Aurora,  III., 
and  Mabel  Bouton  at  Salt  Lake  City,  Utah. 

Emma  Maddern  Stevens,  for  nearly  half  a 
century  an  esteemed  member  of  the  profession, 
is  buried  in  Woodlawn  Cemetery,  New  York; 
Dolly  Banks,  in  Mt.  Pleasant  Cemetery,  To- 
ronto, Canada;  Ella  Jerome,  Calvary  Cemetery, 
Brooklyn,  N.  Y.;  Carrie  Fulton,  Oak  Hill 
Cemetery,  LaGrangc,  111. ;  Addie  Boos,  a  favor- 
ite cornet  soloist  as  well  as  an  actress  of  merit,  at 
Jackson,  Mich.,  and  Madeline  Hardy  in  Wood- 
lawn  Cemetery,  Detroit,  Mich. 


Driftwood  of  the  Stage.  175 

Etta  Butler  died  at  New  York.  Her  re- 
mains were  taken  to  San  Francisco,  Cal.,  and 
cremated.  The  ashes  were  interred  in  the  Odd 
Fellows'  Cemetery  at  that  place.  Carmencita, 
the  beautiful  Spanish  dancer,  died  of  yellow 
fever  at  Rio  de  Janiero.  Her  remains  were 
placed  in  a  pine  box  fastened  with  an  iron  pad- 
lock, and  without  a  prayer  or  ceremony  of  any 
kind,  hastily  deposited  in  a  trench,  which  stood 
open  ready  to  receive  those  who  were  rapidly 
dying  of  the  dread  disease. 

The  grave  of  Belle  Boyd,  the  famous  Con- 
federate spy,  furnishes  a  striking  example  of 
how  soon  and  easily  the  world  forgets.  For 
her  daring  in  conveying  information  to  Stone- 
wall Jackson  and  other  Confederates  she  was 
twice  condemned  to  be  shot.  Several  plays 
were  written  about  her  eventful  career,  and  she 
was  favorably  known  as  an  actress  and  on  the 
lecture  platform.  She  is  buried  at  Kilbourn, 
Wis.,  on  a  sandy  slope,  and  so  unproductive 
is  the  land  that  not  even  vegetation  usually 
found  on  dunes  and  desert  wastes  attempts  to 
grow  where  the  Confederate  heroine  sleeps. 
But  two  half-dead  specimens  of  sage-like  plants, 
of  uncertain  names,  are  growing  on  the  grave 
at  the  foot  of  a  small  oak  tree. 


176  Driftwood  of  the  Stage. 

In  Magnolia  Cemetery,  Beaumont,  Texas,  is 
tlie  grave  of  Fatma  Sing  Hpoo,  said  to  be  the 
tiniest  woman  in  the  world.  She  was  twenty- 
two  years  old,  weighed  but  fifteen  pounds,  and 
was  only  twenty-eight  inches  high.  She  and 
her  brother  Smaun  had  been  prominent  in 
amusement  circles  for  several  years. 

In  a  well  kept  grave  in  Greenwood  Ceme- 
tery, Brooklyn,  N.  Y.,  peacefully  rests  a  once 
sweet  singer  and  stage  favorite.  On  her  tomb- 
stone, together  with  her  age  and  the  date  of 
her  death,  is  inscribed,  ''Ella  Mayo,  affianced 
wife  of  Tony  Hart."  Sadie  McDonald  died  in 
Australia,  and  the  people  built  a  resting-place 
for  her  on  a  high  knoll  overlooking  the  Pacific. 
On  her  tombstone  are  the  words,  **Our  Little 
Honey." 

Side  by  side  in  Woodlawn  Cemetery,  New 
York,  sleep  Minnie  French  (Mrs.  Charles  E. 
Evans),  and  Helena  French  (Mrs.  William 
F.  Hoey),  long  before  the  public  as  the  French 
Twin  Sisters,  and  in  a  handsome  mausoleum  in 
the  little  cemetery  at  Charlestown,  N.  H.,  in 
which  the  body  of  the  famous  playwright  is  at 
rest,  were  deposited  the  remains  of  Flora 
Walsh-Hoyt  and  Caroline  Miskel-Hoyt. 

In  the  burial  plot   of    the    Actors'  Fund  of 


Driftwood  of  the  Stage.  177 

America,  in  the  Cemetery  of  the  Evergreens, 
Brooklyn,  N.  Y.,  are  the  well  kept  graves  of 
many  stage  favorites  of  bygone  days.  Here 
lies  May  Brookyn,  whose  sad  death  in  Cali- 
fornia is  well  remembered,  and  whose  remains 
were  brought  to  the  city  of  her  birth  for  inter- 
ment. Near  by,  in  the  same  plot,  are  buried 
many  once  well-known  professional  ladies, 
among  whom  may  be  mentioned  the  names  of 
Louise  Searle,  Ada  Gray,  Eliza  Young,  Daisy 
Murdoch,  Lucille  Adams,  Maud  Haslam, 
Phyllis  Morris  and  Carrie  Howard. 
Peace  be  with  them ! 


12 


178  Driftwood  of  the  Sta^e. 


THE  MELANCHOLY  DANE. 


An  actor,  stranded  in  a  small  mining  town, 
was  waited  upon  by  a  committee  of  miners.  They 
told  him  that  they  intended  giving  a  play  for 
the  benefit  of  some  local  charity,  and  had  come 
to  ask  him  to  undertake  the  task  of  coaching 
the  miners.  The  play  was  "Hamlet,"  and  there 
were  four  aspirants  to  the  role  of  Hamlet.  One 
of  these  was  a  powerful  Irishman,  with  a  rich 
brogue;  another,  a  corpulent  German,  with  a 
decided  dialect ;  one  a  Yankee,  with  pronounced 
nasal  tones,  and  the  fourth  equally  unsuited  for 
the  part  he  wished  to  play.  The  actor  called 
the  four  men  together,  and  informed  them  that 
there  were  five  acts  in  "Hamlet,"  and  proposed 
that  he,  as  a  professional,  should  take  the  act 
most  difficult  to  perform,  thus  leaving  an  act 
for  each  one  of  the  four.  The  proposal  was 
accepted.  The  play  was  given  to  a  large  and 
most  enthusiastic  audience,  while  the  financial 
success  exceeded  all  expectations.  But  the  next 
morning  the  one  small  newspaper  of  the  town 
contained  the  following: 


Driftwood  of  the  Stag^e.  179 


"The  play  of  'Hamlet'  was  given  last  evening 
by  our  amateur  dramatic  company.  It  has  long 
been  a  question  as  to  v^hether  Shakespeare  or 
Bacon  was  the  author  of  this  play.  It  can  now 
be  definitely  ascertained.  Let  the  graves  of 
both  men  be  opened.  He  who  shall  be  found 
to  have  turned  in  his  grave  is  the  one  who 
wrote  'Hamlet.'  " 

"Hamlet"  has  been  played  in  many  languages, 
by  actors  of  all  ages,  and  of  both  sexes,  with 
elaborate  scenery  and  with  no  scenery  at  all. 
It  has  been  burlesqued  and  sung  as  an  opera; 
and  its  representatives  have  been  good,  bad  and 
indifferent.  History  tells  that  Lewis  Hallam 
was  the  original  Hamlet  in  America,  playing 
the  part  at  Philadelphia  in  the  autumn  of  1759. 
The  tragedy  was  presented  for  the  first  time  at 
New  York  by  the  same  gentleman,  November 
26,  1761. 

John  Howard  Payne  has  the  distinction  of 
being  the  first  American  Hamlet  who  was  born 
in  America.  He  played  Hamlet  at  the  Park 
Theater,  New  York,  in  May,  1809,  being  but 
seventeen  years  of  age  at  the  time.  Other 
juvenile  tragedians  have  been  seen  in  the  part, 
notably  Master  Joseph  Burke,  who  played  it 
at  Dublin,  when  he  was  five  years  old,  and  re- 


i8o  Driftwood  of  the  Stage, 

cognized  as  a  star  in  this  country  in  ''Hamlet" 
when  he  was  twelve. 

The  name  of  a  lady  is  occasionally  found  in 
the  titular  part  of  this  play.  The  most  suc- 
cessful of  these  was  unquestionably  Charlotte 
Cushman.  Among  the  many  other  lady  Ham- 
lets were  Anna  Dickinson,  Louise  Pomeroy, 
Mrs.  F.  B.  Conway,  Adele  Belgarde  and  Julia 
Seaman. 

It  is  not  possible  in  a  single  chapter  to  men- 
tion the  names  of  the  hundreds  of  Hamlets  who 
have  appeared  on  the  American  stage.  The 
tragedy  has  been  played  in  every  important 
town  in  the  Union,  and  hundreds  of  thousands 
of  persons  have  witnessed  and  appreciated  its 
beauties. 

Chicago  gave  to  the  world  the  first  ''Hamlet" 
acted  wholly  by  women,  from  prince  to  page, 
from  ghost  to  soldiers,  and  also  the  first  "Ham- 
let" intended  to  demonstrate  Shakespeare's  mis- 
take in  massacring  the  cast  in  the  last  act.  It 
was  Shakespeare  for  auditors  of  the  most 
squeamish  sensibilities.  There  was  no  horrid 
visible  ghost  to  elicit  feminine  screams,  there 
were  no  killings  on  the  stage,  and  the  play  was 
ended  with  the  grave-digging  scene,  and  just 
before  the  dreadful  carnage  by  which  Shakes- 


Driftwood  of  the  Stage,  i8i 

peare  disposed  of  the  chief  characters.  Accord- 
ing to  this  version,  Hamlet  and  his  mother 
kissed  and  made  up  and  all  lived  happy  ever 
after 

That  there  might  be  no  more  tragedy  than 
necessary,  Polonius  was  allowed  to  be  killed 
with  almost  no  confusion,  and  it  is  doubtful 
if  any  but  the  closest  observers  in  the  audience 
was  aware  that  a  foul  deed  had  actually  been 
committed.  Hamlet  was  lecturing  his  mother 
when  he  noticed  that  some  person  was  in  hiding 
behind  the  curtains.  Stepping  to  the  door 
he  drew  his  dagger  and  reached  behind  the 
curtain  as  if  handing  the  weapon  to  some  one. 
Then  he  withdrew  it,  walked  back,  and  pre- 
sently Polonius,  from  behind  the  scenes  moaned 
out  the  fact  that  he  was  murdered.  Then  the 
Queen  and  Hamlet  proceeded  with  the  inter- 
view. 

This  same  city  introduced  Charles  Winter 
Wood,  a  gentleman  of  color,  ^  in  the  role  of 
Hamlet,  supported  by  a  company  composed  en- 
tirely of  colored  people. 

Many  players  have  deserved  capital  punish- 
ment for  murdering  Hamlet,  but  until  quite 
recently  the  Prince  of  Denmark  had  escaped 
being  placed  on  trial  on  the  serious  charge  of 


i82  Driftwood  of  the  Sta^e. 

killing  King  Claudius.  Under  the  criminal 
code  of  the  State  of  Iowa  the  lapse  of  time  since 
the  commission  of  the  crime  is  immaterial,  as 
there  is  no  statute  of  limitation  with  respect  to 
offences  against  the  lives  of  persons.  Members 
of  the  law  class  of  the  University  of  Iowa  began 
criminal  proceedings  in  January,  1903,  and 
Hamlet  was  indicted  for  murder  in  the  first 
degree  by  a  true  bill  returned  by  the  University 
grand  jury  on  February  20,  of  the  same  year. 
The  case  came  up  in  the  junior  law  court  of  the 
University,  presided  over  by  Justice  Deemer 
of  the  Iowa  Supreme  Bench,  and  the  proceed- 
ings were  conducted  with  all  the  solemnity  of  a 
regular  criminal  trial.  Hamlet  pleaded  not 
guilty  to  the  indictment,  and  set  up  a  defense 
of  insanity. 

The  brightest  members  of  the  law  class  were 
concerned  in  the  prosecution  and  defense  of  the 
defendant,  and  Shakspearean  scholars  and  alien- 
ists of  reputation  were  the  witnesses  examined 
during  the  trial. 

The  jury  was  unanimous  in  its  opinion  that 
Hamlet  was  not  insane  when  he  murdered  King 
Claudius.  On  the  question  of  justification 
through  self-defense,  there  was  a  divergence  of 
opinion.     After  standing  evenly    divided    for 


Drifizvood  of  the  Sta^e.  183 

twenty  hours,  the  jury  finally  agreed  that  Ham- 
let, Prince  of  Denmark,  was  guilty  of  man- 
slaughter when  he  killed  King  Claudius,  and 
should  be  resting  behind  prison  bars  instead  of 
being  king  of  the  stage  and  hero  of  literature, 
and  rendered  a  verdict  to  that  effect. 

Dr.  Landis,  an  odd  character,  who  had  strange 
ideas  as  to  his  ability  as  a  tragedian,  played  an 
engagement  at  Horticultural  Hall,  Philadelphia, 
in  1883,  supported  by  a  company  of  amateurs. 
His  audience  was  almost  exclusively  composed 
of  males,  who  found  no  excuse  too  trifling  for 
their  merriment,  no  jest  too  coarse,  no  uproar 
too  loud.  He  represented  Hamlet  with  a  long 
black  beard,  and  his  appearance,  speech  and  ac- 
tion were  so  ludicrous  that  the  audience  burst 
into  laughter  before  he  had  been  on  the  stage 
five  minutes.  All  through  the  performance  the 
audience  talked  back  to  Hamlet.  Every  time  the 
curtain  went  down  there  were  cheers,  screech- 
ing, whistling  and  Indian  war-whoops.  The 
police  were  called  upon  to  quiet  the  disturbers, 
and  were  compelled  to  eject  a  number  from  the 
theater.  His  audience  pelted  him  with  vegeta- 
bles and  decayed  fruit  so  unmercifully,  that  at 
the  next  performance  a  wire  netting  was  used  to 
prevent  the  players  from  being  struck  by  flying 


184  Driftwood  of  the  Stage. 

missiles  and  protect  the  scenery.  At  the  closing 
performance  a  drum  and  fife  corps  played  nearly 
all  through  the  evening,  and  this,  with  the  sing- 
ing of  popular  songs  by  the  audience,  prevented 
the  players  from  being  heard,  so  the  curtain  was 
rung  down  and  the  house  cleared  by  the  police. 

George,  the  Count  Joannes,  as  he  chose  to 
style  himself,  supported  by  his  pupil,  Avonia 
Fairbanks,  and  a  dramatic  company,  began  an 
engagement  at  the  Lyceum  Theater,  on  Four- 
teenth street,  near  Sixth  avenue,  New  York, 
February  4,  1878.  A  repertoire  of  plays  were 
given  which  included  "Romeo  and  Juliet,'* 
"Othello,"  "Richard  III,'"  "King  Lear"  and 
"The  Lady  of  Lyons."  The  Count  selected 
February  18  for  his  benefit  and  "Hamlet"  was 
presented. 

The  house  was  crowded  and  for  three  hours 
no  more  disgraceful  scenes  were  ever  witnessed 
in  an  American  theater.  When  the  Count  came 
on  as  Hamlet  he  was  greeted  with  three  cheers 
and  shrieks  of  laughter.  The  actors  were  guyed 
unmercifully,  and  the  Count  would  occasionally 
walk  down  to  the  footlights  and  when  he  could 
be  heard,  defend  them  from  the  gibes  and  ridi- 
cule of  the  audience.  As  the  grave-digger  pro- 
ceeded with  his  work  they  sang  "Down  in  a 


Charlies  J.  Ross— Mabe;i,  Fknton. 


Driftzvood  of  the  Sta^e.  185 

Coal  Mine."  Occasionally  some  one  would  yell 
*'Who  is  Count  Joannes?"  and  the  whole  house 
would  recite  in  concert,  "First  in  War,  First  fn 
Peace,  and  First  in  the  Hearts  of  His  Country- 
men." When  those  in  the  house  felt  like  sing- 
ing they  did  it  with  a  will,  and  the  performance 
was  for  the  most  part  a  dumb  show.  Vegetables 
and  other  things  were  thrown  at  the  players  and 
at  one  another  in  the  audience,  and  several 
times  the  police  were  called  upon  to  preserve 
order  and  prevent  the  performance  from  break- 
ing up  in  a  general  row. 

James  Owen  O'Connor  gave  a  performance 
of  "Hamlet"  at  the  Star  Theater,  New  York, 
April  9,  1888.  His  impersonation  of  the  Dane 
seemed  so  absurd  to  the  audience  that  most  of 
the  dialogue  was  lost  in  peals  of  laughter.  He 
made  a  speech  which  was  given  three  hearty 
cheers.  Cabbages  and  boquets  of  pie-plant  were 
thrown  at  him,  and  uncomplimentary  remarks 
made  as  to  the  ability  of  the  players.  The  audi- 
ence though  noisy  was  good  natured,  and  noth- 
ing was  done  that  called  for  interference  by  the 
police.  Mr.  O'Connor  was  a  few  years  later 
taken  to  an  insane  asylum,  where  he  died  March 
31,  1894. 

Stuart   Robson  appeared  as   Hamlet  at  the 


1 86  Driftwood  of  the  Stage, 


Olympic  Theater,  New  York,  in  November, 
1866,  in  a  burlesque  entitled  ''Hamlet,  or  Wear- 
ing of  the  Black."  Edwin  Forrest  used  to  play 
Hamlet,  Virginius,  Metamora  and  like  charac- 
ters, with  side  whiskers,  moustache  and  goatee. 
At  one  time  E.  L.  Davenport  wore  side  whis- 
kers when  playing  Hamlet,  and  Charles  Fechter 
wore  a  moustache  and  chin  whiskers  in  the 
same  role. 

This  may  sound  strange  to  the  present  gener- 
ation, as  it  is  many  years  ago  that  the  news- 
papers and  billboards  of  New  York  announced 
the  appearance  of  the  genial  Tony  Pastor  as 
Hamlet,  each  evening,  with  the  customary  mati- 
nees, at  his  theater,  then  situated  at  201  Bowery. 
Tony  was  not  alone  in  the  production  of  "Ham- 
let" that  season,  as  it  was  being  played  at  sev- 
eral theaters  in  the  city  at  the  same  time. 

The  presentation  of  this  play  at  so  many  dif- 
ferent theaters  at  one  time  had  a  tendency  to 
bring  to  mind  the  epidemic  of  "Hamlet"  that 
passed  over  New  York  in  the  years  1857  and 
1858.  Barry  Sullivan  and  McKean  Buchanan 
appeared  as  Hamlet  at  the  Broadway  Theater; 
James  Stark  and  the  elder  Wallack  at  Wallack's 
Theater;  Edward  Eddy  at  the  Bowery  Theater, 
and  Charles  C.  Hicks,  James  E.  Murdoch,  E. 


Driftwood  of  the  Sta^e.  187 

L.  Davenport  and  Edwin  Booth  at  Burton's  The- 
ater. During  the  same  season  at  Burton's 
Theater  John  Brougham  played  Hamlet  with  a 
brogue.  William  E.  Burton  was  the  Ghost, 
Lawrence  Barrett  the  Horatio,  and  Mark  Smith 
played  Ophelia.  At  this  theater  in  May,  1857, 
John  M.  Hengler,  a  prominent  young  tight-rope 
walker,  astonished  the  town  with  a  representa- 
tion of  Hamlet,  which  was  not,  however,  re- 
peated. 

It  was  on  January  10,  1870,  that  Charles 
Fechter,  the  great  French  tragedian,  made  his 
first  appearance  in  America,  acting  in  "Ruy 
Bias,"  at  Niblo's  Garden,  New  York.  Edwin 
Booth  was  at  the  time  acting  Hamlet  at  his  own 
theater,  then  situated  on  the  southeast  corner  of 
Sixth  Avenue  and  Twenty-third  Street. 

It  is  doubtful  if  the  acting  of  any  one,  native 
or  foreign,  in  the  whole  history  of  the  American 
stage,  has  been  the  subject  of  so  much  or  such 
varied  criticisms  as  was  Mr.  Fechter.  Those 
who  were  his  admirers  were  enthusiastic  in  his 
praise;  those  who  did  not  like  him  w^ere  un- 
sparing in  their  condemnation  and  ridicule.  The 
press  of  the  city  criticised  Mr.  Fechter's  acting 
quite  freely,  and  the  Frenchman  foolishly  ac- 
cused Mr.  Booth  and  his  friends  of  being  re- 


i88  Driftzvood  of  the  Stage. 


sponsible  for  every  adverse  criticism.  Mr.  Booth 
generously  offered  to  stand  aside  and  allow  Mr. 
Fechter  to  take  his  place.  The  French  tragedian 
declined  the  offer,  himself  appearing  as  Hamlet 
on  February  15  of  the  same  year. 

George  L.  Fox,  who  made  clowning  a  fine 
art  and  was  then  in  the  height  of  his  career, 
shortly  afterward  produced  a  burlesque  of  this 
play  at  the  Olympic  Theater,  Broadway  near 
Bleecker  Street,  which  had  a  long  and  prosper- 
ous run.  It  was  perhaps  more  a  burlesque  of 
Edwin  Booth,  after  whom  in  the  character  he 
played  and  dressed,  than  of  "Hamlet."  While 
Mr.  Fox  at  times  was  wonderfully  like  Mr. 
Booth  in  attitude,  look  and  voice,  he  would  sud- 
denly assume  the  accent  and  expression  of  Mr. 
Fechter,  whom  he  counterfeited  admirably.  To 
see  him  pacing  the  platform  before  the  Castle 
of  Elsinore,  protected  against  the  chilly  night 
air  by  a  fur  cap  and  collar,  red  mittens  and 
arctic  overshoes  over  the  traditional  costume  of 
Hamlet,  to  hear  his  familiar  conversation  on 
local  topics  with  the  Ghost,  and  his  mild  pro- 
fanity when  commanded  by  the  Ghost  to 
"swear"  was  a  ridiculously  enjoyable  piece  of 
acting.     Mr.  Booth  saw  this  caricature  of  his 


Driftwood  of  the  Stage.  189 

Hamlet,  and  is  said  to  have  enjoyed  it  im- 
mensely. 

Then  the  vaudeville  folks  took  it  up,  and  Add 
Ryman  gave  an  abbreviated  version  of  it  at  the 
Theater  Comique,  514  Broadway.  The  min- 
strel halls  also  presented  negro  acts  with  such 
titles  as  "The  Black  Hamlet,"  ''Hamlet,  the 
Dainty,"  and  "The  One  Hundredth  Night  of 
Hamlet." 

Mr.  Pastor  at  the  time  he  gave  to  the  public 
his  idea  as  to  how  "Hamlet"  should  be  played, 
was  surrounded  by  a  fine  company  who  rendered 
valuable  aid  in  making  the  production  at  his 
house  a  success.  The  lines  that  were  given  him 
were  correctly  spoken,  and  his  chubby  form  was 
neatly  draped  in  black  silk  and  velvet.  Others 
in  the  cast,  however,  seemed  to  have  ideas  of 
their  own  as  to  dress,  and  Nelse  Seymour,  who 
played  the  Ghost,  supplemented  his  already  tall 
figure  by  wearing  a  high  silk  hat.  The  grave- 
digger  in  this  production  seemed  to  work  "ad 
lib,"  and  with  his  spade  would  throw  on  the 
stage  an  assortment  of  bric-a-brac,  such  as  tin 
cans,  stove-pipes,  hoop  skirts,  etc.,  while  he 
sang  the  song,  "Any  Ornaments  for  Your 
"Mantelpiece."  The  other  parts  were  well  dis- 
tributed, the  important  role  of  the  First  Actor 


190  Driftwood  of  the  Stag^e. 

being  intrusted  to  Jimmy  Bradley,  a  song  and 
dance  man.  Joe  Braham  furnished  incidental 
music  to  suit  the  occasion,  and  which  always 
brought  on  the  fair  Ophelia  to  the  then  popular 
air  of  "Walking  Down  Broadway." 

The  soliloquy  of  these  burlesquers  was  made 
up  largely  of  local  topics.  Mr.  Ryman,  gaz- 
ing intently  on  the  skull  in  his  hands,  would 
begin  his  version  of  it  as  follows : 

"Another  Hamlet! 

Who  can  it  be? 

Is   it   Booth,    Fechter,    or    Fox,   the   sly   one, 

Tony  Pastor,  or  Addison  Ryman?" 


Drifizvood  of  the  Staf^e.  191 


JAMES  FISK,  JR.,  IN  THEATRICALS. 


In  the  year  1868  the  theatrical  world  was 
startled  at  the  news  that  James  Fisk,  Jr.,  had 
purchased  Pike's  Opera  House,  erected  by 
Samuel  N.  Pike,  of  Cincinnati,  on  the  corner  of 
Eighth  Avenue  and  Twenty-third  Street,  New 
York,  for  the  sum  of  $820,(X)0.  Up  to  that 
time  Mr.  Fisk  had  been  known  only  as  a 
shrewd  speculator  on  the  stock  market  and  by 
his  connection  with  the  Erie  Railway.  A  few 
years  before  he  was  satisfied  to  travel  with  Van 
Amburgh's  Menagerie,  his  occupation  being  to 
help  put  up  the  canvas  and  act  as  caretaker  of 
the  wild  animals.  His  employer  recognizing 
his  tact,  advanced  him  to  the  somewhat  more 
elevated  position  of  ticket  seller,  and  as  such  he 
traveled  with  this  show  for  eight  years. 

He  renamed  his  purchase  the  Grand  Opera 
House,  and  a  little  later  purchased  from  H.  L. 
Bateman  his  interest  in  opera  bouffe.  He  lav- 
ished money  on  the  theater  in  a  wonderful 
manner,  doing  many  really  meritorious  things 
to  make  it  a  first-class  place  of  amusement.    He 


192  Driftwood  of  the  Sta^e. 

made  it  his  own  headquarters  as  treasurer  of 
the  Erie  Railroad.  Its  history  after  it  came 
into  his  possession  cannot  now  be  written.  For 
a  time  the  name  of  Jay  Gould  appeared  as  one 
of  the  proprietors.  On  March  31,  1869,  "The 
Tempest"  was  produced  in  magnificent  style, 
wdth  E.  L.  Davenport,  Frank  Mayo,  F.  C. 
Bangs,  and  others,  of  equal  merit,  in  the  cast. 
At  that  time  the  name  of  James  Fisk,  Jr.,  first 
appeared  as  proprietor,  and  Clifton  W.  Tay- 
leure  as  manager. 

Many  were  the  strange  scenes  which  com- 
mon report  had  placed  at  this  theater.  One 
famous  scene  was  the  personal  encounter  be- 
tween himself  and  one  of  his  agents,  Mr. 
Maretzek. 

Beside  this  establishment,  in  which  he  took 
great  pride,  Mr.  Fisk  purchased  the  building 
on  Twenty-fourth  Street,  adjoining  the  Fifth 
Avenue  Hotel,  and  fitted  up  one  of  the  pret- 
tiest theaters,  small,  but  bright  and  brilliant, 
that  New  York  had  ever  seen.  This  building 
had  been  previously  used  as  a  minstrel  hall  by 
Griffin  and  Christy's  Minstrels.  He  called  it 
Brougham's  Theater,  and  it  was  opened  by 
John  Brougham  on  January  25,  1869.  In  the 
course  of  two  months  Mr.  Brougham  retired 


Driftwood  of  the  Sta^e.  193 


from  the  management  and  Mr.  Fisk  assumed 
the  management  himself,  producing  opera 
bouffe,  Mile.  Tostee  and  her  company  being 
the  attraction.  In  August,  1869,  it  was  opened 
by  Augustin  Daly  and  continued  under  his 
management  until  destroyed  by  fire  on  January 
I,  1873.  On  that  New  Year's  day,  within  an 
hour  after  the  matinee  performance,  the  cosy, 
pleasant  little  theater  was  burned  to  the  ground, 
a  total  and  complete  wreck.  Mr,  Daly  and  his 
company  had  the  sympathy  of  all,  as  this  theater 
had  been  the  scene  of  so  many  triumphs  of 
many  public  favorites  that  the  whole  city  was 
deeply  stirred  by  the  news  of  the  disaster.  The 
house  was  called  by  Mr.  Daly  the  Fifth  Avenue 
Theater,  and  opened  with  a  comedy  called 
"Play,"  with  E.  L.  Davenport,  Agnes  Ethel 
and  others  in  the  cast.  The  company  and  the 
management  were  at  once  a  pronounced  suc- 
cess, and  Mr.  Daly  entered  into  a  career  of 
popularity  and  prosperity  that  lasted  as  long  as 
the  house  remained  to  him.  The  last  play  ever 
performed  on  its  stage  was  "New  Year's  Eve, 
or  False  Shame."  It  was  at  this  house  that 
Clara  Morris  made  her  first  bow  to  a  New 
York  audience  in  "Man  and  Wife." 

Beside  his  theatrical,  financial  and  social  suc- 

13 


194  Driftzvood  of  the  Sta^e. 

cesses,  Mr.  Fisk  had  aspirations  to  military  and 
naval  honors.  Already  an  admiral  of  the 
Sound  and  Long  Branch  fleets,  he  sought  a 
military  command.  The  colonelcy  of  the  Ninth 
Regiment  of  the  National  Guard  was  tendered 
to  him,  and  he  accepted  it.  By  lavish  expendi- 
ture of  money  he  soon  raised  it  to  a  high  grade 
of  merit,  and  it  was  known  everywhere  for  its 
fine  uniform  and  its  peerless  band,  that  became 
known  as  "Colonel  James  Fisk,  Jr.'s,  Ninth 
Regiment  Band."  For  years  Graffula's  Seventh 
Regiment  Band  had  been  the  leading  military 
band  of  New  York.  It  was  composed  of  fifty 
men  and  was  considered  a  large  band  in  those 
days.  D.  L.  Downing,  a  well-known  band- 
master, was  given  authority  to  organize  a  band 
to  consist  of  one  hundred  of  the  best  musicians 
obtainable,  and  in  addition  to  many  performers 
of  note,  Jules  Levy,  then  at  the  height  of  his 
career,  was  engaged  as  cornet  soloist.  It  was 
said  at  the  time  that  he  received  $io,0(X)  a  year 
for  his  services. 

The  first  public  appearance  of  this  band  in 
their  brilliant  uniforms  of  scarlet  and  gold 
created  a  sensation.  Mr.  Levy  was  given  a 
prominent  place  in  the  formation  and  played 
on  a    gold    instrument    embellished    with  dia- 


Driftwood  of  the  Sta^e.  195 


monds  and  other  precious  stones.  The  regi- 
mental drum  corps,  composed  of  thirty  picked 
men,  was  taught  to  play  in  unison  with  the 
band,  and  when  the  130  musicians  played  to- 
gether a  fine  effect  was  produced. 

Sunday  night  concerts  were  given  at  the 
Grand  Opera  House  by  this  band.  Colonel  Fisk 
showed  his  interest  by  occupying  a  stage  box 
at  each  performance.  The  finest  vocalists  as- 
sisted at  these  concerts.  Among  them  were 
Signorita  Farettee,  Emma  Cline,  Miles.  Cas- 
telan  and  DeTry.  Mr.  Levy's  cornet  solos 
were  always  one  of  the  features  of  the  bill.  Carl 
Bergman  was  the  conductor,  and  Mr.  Downing 
was  the  band  leader.  One  Sunday  evening  a 
quartette  from  Bryant's  Minstrels,  composed  of 
Messrs.  Templeton,  Dwyer,  Oberist  and  Sliat- 
tuck,  were  introduced  at  the  band  concert.  It 
was  a  little  bit  out  of  the  ordinary,  but  they 
made  a  decided  hit. 

This  regiment  took  a  prominent  part  in  the 
Orange  riot,  which  occurred  at  the  city  of  New 
York,  July  12,  1871.  The  Orange  societies 
were  refused  permission  to  parade  that  day  by 
A.  Oakey  Hall,  at  that  time  mayor  of  the  city. 
Public  opinion  was  against  this  action,  and  an 
appeal  was  made  to  Governor  John  T.  Hoff- 


196  Driftwood  of  the  Sta^e. 

man,  who  not  only  gave  the  desired  permission, 
but  also  ordered  the  First  Division  of  the  Na- 
tional Guard  under  arms  for  their  protection  if 
necessary.  More  than  5,000  armed  soldiers 
and  policemen  escorted  a  body  of  less  than  forty 
Orangemen  who  were  determined  to  march.  The 
procession  had  not  moved  far  when  an  attack 
was  made  on  the  military,  and  the  Ninth,  which 
was  near  the  head  of  the  column,  were  given 
orders  to  fix  bayonets  and  charge  the  mob.  In 
the  sharp  fighting  which  ensued  many  lives  were 
lost,  while  the  list  of  wounded  never  became 
known.  In  the  Ninth  three  were  killed  and 
eight  wounded,  among  the  latter  being  Colonel 
Fisk.  Two  of  the  killed  were  Walter  Prior  and 
H.  C.  Page,  both  members  of  the  theatrical  pro- 
fession. 

Colonel  Fisk  was  a  fine-looking  man.  There 
was  always  color  in  his  cheeks,  and  his  blonde 
hair  crisped  itself  into  small  waves  right  from 
its  very  roots.  Seldom  was  there  a  temper  so 
sunny  and  a  heart  so  generous.  His  blue  eyes 
danced  with  fun  and  no  one  could  talk  five  min- 
utes with  him  without  being  moved  to  laughter. 
He  loved  the  theater  and  its  people.  At  each  of 
his  theaters  he  reserved  a  box  for  his  personal 
use,  and  when  he  occupied  it  was  always  sur- 


Driftzvood  of  the  Sta^e.  197 

rounded  by  a  smiling,  animated  party  of  friends. 

When  the  news  of  the  great  fire  at  Chicago, 
October  g.  187 1,  reached  him,  he  offered  his 
theaters,  his  companies,  and  his  band  for  benefit 
performances.  And  he  did  more.  He  sent  out 
a  special  relief  train  over  his  road,  loaded  with 
flour,  provisions  and  necessaries  for  the  suf- 
ferers. All  tracks  were  cleared  for  this  train, 
which  was  the  first  relief  train  to  reach  that  city. 
When  an  appeal  was  made  for  clothing  for  those 
who  had  lost  all,  out  came  the  beautiful  team  of 
jet  black  horses  that  he  drove  in  the  park.  They 
were  hitched  to  a  great  white  express  wagon  of 
the  Erie  company,  and  driven  by  him  from  door 
to  door,  stopping  wherever  a  beckoning  hand 
appeared  at  a  window.  Bundles  of  clothing, 
boxes  of  provisions;  anything,  everything,  that 
people  would  give  he  gathered  up,  with  brief, 
warm  thanks  and  the  raising  of  a  velvet  cap  he 
wore.  Personally,  he  gathered  up  carloads  of 
goods  that  were  rushed  to  the  express  office  for 
proper  sorting  and  packing,  and  sent  by  fast 
trains  to  the  terror-stricken,  homeless  Chica- 
goans. 

On  Saturday  afternoon,  January  6,  1872, 
about  half-past  four  o'clock.  Colonel  Fisk's 
private  coach  drew  up  in  front  of    the    Grand 


198  Driftwood  of  the  Stage. 


Central  Hotel,  on  Broadway,  opposite  Bond 
Street.  It  was  about  the  time  that  New  York's 
great  thoroughfare  presents  the  pleasantest  sight. 
Men  of  business  were  walking  leisurely  home- 
ward, ladies  lingered  among  the  glories  of  the 
stores,  and  many  carriages  lined  the  curbstones. 
Colonel  Fisk  had  left  his  carriage,  and,  entering 
the  vestibule  of  the  hotel,  was  going  up  the  steps 
that  led  into  the  hall.  As  he  neared  the  top  two 
shots  were  fired  at  him  by  a  concealed  assassin. 
One  struck  him  in  the  left  arm  and  another  im- 
mediately after  striking  in  the  abdomen.  Two 
more  shots  were  fired  at  him  but  took  no  effect. 
The  news  of  the  shooting  spread  like  wildfire. 
As  the  particulars  became  known  the  excitement 
grew  intense.  The  good  qualities  of  the  man 
were  alone  remembered.  The  news  had  a  damp- 
ening effect  on  the  gay  spirits  of  the  attaches 
of  the  Grand  Opera  House,  and  the  excitement 
among  the  actors  was  not  less  intense.  It  was 
proposed  at  first  to  suspend  the  play,  but  as  a 
great  number  of  tickets  had  been  sold,  it  would 
have  given  dissatisfaction  to  many  patrons  of 
the  house,  and  it  was  decided  to  let  the  play  go 
on.  The  audience  was  fair  in  number,  but  it 
is  doubtful  if  "The  Colleen  Bawn,"  which  Mr. 
and  Mrs.  W.  J.  Florence    were    playing    that 


Driftwood  of  the  Sta^e.  199 


night,  ever  received  a  more  mechanical  repre- 
sentation or  was  ever  presented  to  a  less  appre- 
ciative audience.  The  players  went  through 
their  lines  as  if  they  were  performing  a  task,  and 
when  off  the  stage  congregated  in  the  wings  and 
dressing  rooms  to  discuss  the  latest  intelligence 
from  the  wounded  man.  At  the  close  of  the 
performance  the  actors  quitted  the  scenes  in 
which  they  had  no  heart,  and  directly  the  last 
scene  ended  the  Grand  Opera  House  was  left 
dark  and  deserted  and  the  theater  was  closed 
until  after  the  funeral. 

At  half-past  eight  in  the  evening  a  consulta- 
tion of  physicians  was  held  and  it  was  decided 
.that  nothing  could  be  done  for  the  dying  man, 
and  at  a  quarter  to  eleven  without  a  struggle  he 
passed  from  earth.  The  information  of  his 
death  was  flashed  to  every  part  of  the  country 
and  created  a  profound  and  startled  impression 
among  all  classes.  The  excitement,  comment 
and  general  interest  occasioned  by  the  slaying  of 
a  prominent  man  in  the  full  possession  of  health 
and  wealth,  and  almost  everything  else  rendering 
life  desirable,  became  the  theme  of  conversation 
in  all  parts  of  the  land.  Not  since  the  death  of 
President  Lincoln  had  the  demise  of  any  one 


200  Driftzvood  of  the  Sta^e. 


man  seemed  to  excite  so  much  public  attention 
and  comment. 

The  funeral  services  over  the  body  of  Colonel 
Fisk,  on  Monday,  January  8.  1872,  attracted 
one  of  the  largest  crowds  ever  assembled  togeth- 
er at  that  city.  When  it  became  known  the  re- 
mains would  lie  in  state  in  the  Grand  Opera 
House,  that  neighborhood  was  crowded  with 
sight-seers  representing  every  grade  of  society 
anxious  to  get  a  glimpse  of  all  that  remained  of 
a  man  whose  history  had  been  so  remarkable. 
Here  the  scene  was  one  long  to  be  remembered. 
Over  the  Grand  Opera  House  floated  at  half- 
staff  the  national  ensign.  The  front  of  the  gal- 
lery in  the  interior  of  the  building  was  festooned 
with  black  and  white  satin  rosettes,  while  over 
the  entrance  to  the  private  office  of  the  deceased 
was  a  handsomely  engraved  portrait  of  him  in 
full  uniform  as  colonel  of  the  Ninth  Regiment. 

A  little  after  eleven  o'clock  the  body  was  borne 
to  the  bier  prepared  for  its  reception  in  the  vesti- 
bule of  the  theater.  It  was  clothed  in  full  regi- 
mentals, the  cap  and  sword  resting  on  the  body. 
The  public  w^re  then  admitted  to  view  the  re- 
mains. Entering  by  the  Twenty-third  Street 
entrance  the  spectators  filed  in  a  long  line  past 
the  casket,  and  passing  through  the  building  left 


Driftwood  of  the  Sta^e.  201 

by  the  door  opening  on  Eighth  Avenue. 
Among  the  first  to  be  admitted  to  take  the  last 
look  at  the  dead  were  those  connected  with  the 
Grand  Opera  House. 

The  Episcopal  burial  service  was  read  by 
Chaplain  Flagg  of  the  Ninth,  who  announced 
that  the  funeral  services  would  be  concluded  on 
the  following  day  at  Brattleboro,  Vt.  At  two 
o'clock  the  coffin  was  closed,  draped  with  the 
American  flag  and  borne  by  the  guard  of  honor 
to  the  hearse.  Shortly  «f ter  the  procession  start- 
ed from  the  Grand  Opera  House.  At  this  point 
of  the  proceedings  the  scene  was  a  most  impress- 
ive one.  Every  available  spot  from  which  the 
procession  could  be  viewed  was  occupied,  while 
the  solemn  stillness  that  prevailed  added  to  its 
solemnity.  The  procession  was  a  large  one,  and 
the  column  moved  through  Twenty-third  Street 
and  Fifth  Avenue  to  the  New  Haven  depot  on 
Twenty-seventh  Street,  where  the  Madison 
Square  Garden  now  stands,  and  on  arrival  there 
the  remains  were  placed  on  the  cars  to  be  taken 
to  Brattleboro,  Vt.,  for  interment. 

And  thus  passed  from  sight  the  mortal  re- 
mains of  one  who  had  been  a  vast  power,  but 
that  power  was  no  more. 


202  Driftzvood  of  the  Sta^e. 


THE  ONE-NIGHT  STAND. 


The  most  objectionable  feature  in  theatrical 
life  is  in  playing  the  so-called  one-night  stands. 
Not  so  for  lack  of  patronage,  as  the  audiences 
may  be  large  and  appreciative,  but  on  account  of 
the  stuffy,  ill-ventilated  opera  houses  and  town 
halls,  unclean  dressing  rooms,  and  other  uninvit- 
ing surroundings,  to  say  nothing  of  the  annoy- 
ance of  railroad  travel  at  unseemly  hours  in  or- 
der to  make  the  next  town.  The  performance 
over  at  eleven,  then  to  a  railway  waiting  room 
for  a  train  that  comes  through  about  midnight 
and  carries  you  to  a  junction  a  few  miles  distant, 
where  after  a  tedious  wait  you  are  liable  to  be 
bundled  into  a  caboose  attached  to  the  rear  of  a 
freight  train  and  thus  finish  your  journey,  which 
may  take  far  into  the  next  day.  Something  may 
occur  that  will  necessitate  a  rehearsal  that  after- 
noon, and  by  night  you  are  in  no  condition  to 
give  a  performance  that  will  please  an  audience, 
the  management  or  yourself.  There  is  nothing 
in  the  world  that  will  disorganize  a  first-class 
company  quicker  than  a  week  or  two  of  one- 


AI.ICE  Fischer. 


Driftwood  of  the  Sta^e.  203 


night  stands,  and  there  is  nothing  looked  upon 
with  such  disfavor  by  the  entire  profession 

It  does  not  take  long  for  the  advance  agent  of 
a  company  to  discover  whether  the  local  manager 
takes  a  personal  interest  in  the  theater,  or  if  it  is 
simply  run  as  a  side  issue.  If  the  manager  gives 
the  place  his  personal  attention  it  is  proof  that  he 
realizes  there  is  something  at  stake,  will  work  up 
interest  in  the  newspapers  and  secure  a  proper 
showing  for  the  advertising  matter.  Should  the 
place  be  run  by  incompetent  employes  the  agent's 
work  is  much  harder,  as  he  must  see  his  paper  up 
and  have  his  heralds  distributed  before  he  can 
safely  leave  town.  He  knows  full  well  that 
many  tons  of  valuable  printing  that  should  have 
been  placed  on  the  wall  or  otherwise  distributed 
has  been  burned  up  or  destroyed  in  some  way, 
and  thousands  of  dollars  worth  of  lithographs 
held  out  and  sold  to  "pirates." 

It  is  by  such  means  that  the  "pirate"  thrives. 
He  stays  in  the  smaller  one-night  stands,  not 
daring  to  come  out  into  the  light  of  the  larger 
ones  for  fear  his  nefarious  business  will  be  re- 
cognized and  he  will  be  prosecuted.  Utterly  de- 
void of  honor  or  decency  he  will  steal  anything 
that  can  be  played  by  his  company,  and  then  add 


204  Driftwood  of  the  Sta^e. 

insult  to  injury  by  advertising  the  play  in  out-of- 
the-way  places  with  stolen  printing. 

The  local  manager  is  alone  to  blame  for  these 
irregularities.  If  he  can  find  no  time  for  his 
theatrical  interests  himself,  he  should  place  them 
in  charge  of  responsible  men.  He  takes  great 
pride  in  his  business  standing  and  his  high  rating 
by  the  commercial  agencies.  A  complaint  of 
unfair  treatment  at  his  place  of  business  during 
the  day  will  receive  his  personal  attention  and  the 
offender  censured  or  discharged,  yet  at  his  the- 
ater the  same  night  a  watch  must  be  put  on  every 
entrance,  and  sometimes  even  at  the  stage  door, 
to  prevent  fraud.  His  horses  are  well  fed  and 
watered,  but  no  drinking  water  will  be  found  on 
his  stage  for  the  thirsty  actor  or  working  force. 
If  the  stage  manager  of  the  company  should  ask 
for  water  for  his  people,  the  house  property  man 
generally  knows  where  he  can  borrow  a  pail  and 
dipper  for  two  "comps."  If  the  tickets  are 
forthcoming,  he  gets  the  pail  and  dipper  from  his 
own  home  and  sells  the  "comps."  to  some  one  on 
the  way  to  the  theater. 

New  schemes  are  always  on  foot  for  beating 
the  ticket  box.  The  tube  for  shooting  tickets 
from  the  balcony  to  the  box  ofifice,  and  the  false 
bottom  ticket  box  are  things  of  the  past.   It  was 


Driftwood  of  the  Sta^e.  205 

in  a  small  Iowa  town  that  a  new  one  was  discov- 
ered. After  the  rush  was  over  the  ticket  seller 
stepped  to  the  door  of  the  box  office  and  asked 
the  man  on  the  door  for  a  cigarette.  A  cigar- 
ette box  was  thrown  to  him,  he  stepped  back  mto 
the  office,  and  came  out  shortly  with  a  lighted 
cigarette  in  his  mouth  and  threw  back  the  box. 
Soon  after  a  request  was  made  for  another  cigar- 
ette, and  the  box  was  again  thrown.  The  mana- 
ger felt  like  smoking  about  that  time,  and  as  the 
box  whizzed  through  the  air  put  up  his  hand  and 
caught  it.  He  was  somewhat  surprised  on  open- 
ing it,  for  instead  of  cigarettes  he  found  seven- 
teen one  dollar  tickets. 

And  then  there  is  the  music  that  is  furnished 
in  the  small  towns.  If  the  house  has  no  orches- 
tra, a  worn-out  piano  will  be  found  that  is  never 
in  tune.  The  manager  answers  complaints  by 
saying  that  every  musician  who  comes  along 
wants  to  tune  the  piano  and  each  one  changes  the 
pitch.  The  musical  director  can  readily  find  out 
the  merit  of  the  orchestra  furnished,  and  if  he 
can  do  nothing  with  it  imparts  the  information 
that  he  will  play  the  show  alone  if  they  will  fur- 
nish the  music  for  the  overture  and  between  the 
acts.     This  they  will  readily  agree  to  do,  and 


2o6  Driftwood  of  the  Staf^e. 

many  times  by  so  doing  the  performance  is 
saved. 

The  leader  of  the  town  brass  band  will  call  on 
the  manager  and  offer  the  services  of  his  men  to 
play  outside  for  free  admission  to  the  theater. 
There  is  nothing  to  be  lost  on  this  and  he  is  al- 
most always  given  the  contract.  The  band  it- 
self is  generally  composed  of  from  fifteen  to 
twenty  men,  but  when  it  comes  time  to  admit 
them  you  will  find  nearer  fifty.  Each  musician 
has  a  boy  to  hold  his  music  on  such  occasions, 
and  even  though  they  are  playing  beneath  a  num- 
ber of  electric  lights,  beside  each  man  will  be 
found  a  young  fellow  holding  a  smoky,  foul- 
smelling  torch,  not  so  much  for  the  purpose  of 
furnishing  light  as  the  means  of  gaining  admit- 
tance to  the  theater  At  times  when  there  is  no 
house  orchestra  the  brass  band  will  furnish  music 
between  the  acts,  and  the  eflFect  in  a  small  house 
can  be  imagined  by  those  who  have  never 
heard  it. 

Without  a  doubt  the  oddest  character  met  in 
the  smaller  towns  is  the  hotelkeeper,  and  some  of 
the  choicest  of  an  actor's  reminiscences  concern 
the  sayings  and  doings  of  the  country  landlord. 
When  a  company  comes  along  he  wants  the  peo- 
ple at  his  house,  and  as  a  rule  will  do  all  he  can 


Driftwood  of  the  Sta^e.  207 

for  their  comfort,  for  he  is  generally  a  good  fel- 
low. But  he  is  continually  doing  outlandish 
things.  Two  actors  stood  in  front  of  one  of  these 
hotels  and  the  landlord  stepped  out  and  fired 
a  charge  from  a  double-barreled  shotgun  in  close 
proximity  to  them.  One  asked  the  reason  for 
shooting  and  was  told  it  was  a  notification  that 
dinner  was  ready.  The  other  sarcastically  in- 
quired why  he  did  not  shoot  off  the  other  barrel, 
and  received  this  reply :  ''There's  a  show  troupe 
in  the  house  and  I  am  keeping  that  to  collect 
with!" 

The  hardest  thing  to  contend  with  in  the  one- 
night  stand  is  the  procuring  of  supernumeraries. 
The  young  men  of  the  town,  even  those  with 
theatrical  aspirations,  and  who  take  part  in  all 
the  entertainments  given  by  amateur  talent,  think 
it  beneath  their  dignity  to  appear  as  auxiliaries 
in  the  support  of  any  one,  no  matter  how  fa- 
mous. This  makes  it  necessary  to  enlist  the  ser- 
vices of  an  undesirable  class,  who  take  part  only 
for  the  purpose  of  seeing  the  performance  and 
receiving  pay  for  it.  Long  before  the  curtain 
rises  they  are  dressed  for  their  parts,  and  stand 
in  the  wings  in  the  way  of  everybody.  Actors 
who  wish  to  make  an  entrance  or  exit  are  forced 
to  push  their  way  through,  as  the  supernumerary 


2o8  Driftwood  of  the  Stage, 

feels  his  importance  in  the  toga  of  a  Roman  sen- 
ator or  the  uniform  of  the  king's  guard. 

No  matter  how  carefully  they  have  been  in- 
structed in  their  duties  at  rehearsals,  they  never 
do  it  properly  during  a  performance.  The 
scenes  they  have  spoiled  and  the  tears  they  have 
caused!  Many  a  fine  actress  has  been  taken  to 
her  dressing  room  on  the  verge  of  collapse  as  the 
curtain  descended  on  a  climax  that  deserved  the 
plaudits  of  the  audience  and  a  curtain  call,  and 
through  the  carelessness  of  these  persons  had 
been  turned  into  a  howl  of  derision. 

Some  of  these  fellows  seem  to  think  this  is  the 
time  to  show  that  they  have  a  vein  of  humor  in 
them,  and  will  play  tricks  on  each  other  in  the 
dressing  room  and  on  the  stage.  If  they  have  a 
grudge  against  any  of  the  others  this  seems  to 
be  the  right  time  to  get  even.  One  sad  instance 
happened  in  a  one-night  stand  during  a  perform- 
ance of  ''Henry  V."  One  of  the  supernumeraries 
had  a  deep  grudge  against  another  supernumer- 
ary, and  he  planned  only  too  well  to  publicly 
humiliate  his  foe.  When  the  supernumeraries 
were  both  on  the  stage,  and  while  the  star  was 
declaiming  one  of  his  best  speeches,  one  of  the 
supernumeraries  suddenly  gave  a  yell  and  started 


Driftwood  of  the  Sta^e.  209 

across  the  stage  on  a  furious  run,  pulling  at  his 
wig  with  both  hands  as  he  ran. 

The  scene  was,  of  course,  almost  spoiled,  for 
the  audience  laughed  at  the  crazy  antics  of  the 
supernumerary  rather  than  listened  to  the  read- 
ing of  the  star.  An  investigation  showed  that 
the  supernumerary  who  bore  the  grudge  against 
his  colleague  had  stood  close  behind  his  enemy 
and  in  the  midst  of  the  scene  had  leaned  over 
and  whispered  shrilly  into  his  ear:  "Oh,  Bill, 
your  wig's  on  fire !"  Whereupon,  the  unfortun- 
ate, frightened  half  to  death,  had  taken  to  his 
heels  and  run  for  safety. 

The  local  pride  of  these  small  towns  is  won- 
derful. When  one  of  its  young  men  or  women 
leaves  for  a  theatrical  career  they  keep  close 
track  of  them.  Those  who  are  successful  send 
press  notices  of  their  advancement  to  the  local 
papers  who  are  only  too  glad  to  print  them. 
Those  who  do  not  meet  with  success  do  not 
want  their  fellow-townsmen  to  know  it,  and  if 
lost  sight  of  inquiries  are  made  of  visiting  com- 
panies as  to  the  missing  one. 

If  one  of  their  number  should  gain  much 
prominence  in  the  profession,  every  theatrical 
person  who  comes  along  is  sure  to  hear  it.  At 
Tremont,   111.,  they  point  with  great  pride  to 

14 


2IO  Driftwood  of  the  Stage. 

the  fact  that  Louis  James  was  born  and  raised 
there,  and  it  is  doubtful  if  any  one  in  the  amuse- 
ment  line  ever  visited  Pontiac,  Mich.,  without 
being  informed  that  James  A.  Bailey  was  a 
native  of  that  place.  Youngstown,  Ohio,  wants 
the  world  to  know  that  Henrietta  Crosman 
started  on  her  search  for  fame  from  that  place, 
and  at  Hicksville,  Ohio,  the  Swilly  House  is 
pointed  out  as  the  former  home  of  Amelia  Bing- 
ham. At  times  the  natives  will  get  confidential 
and  give  the  names  by  which  they  were  known 
before  adopting  the  stage,  and  very  often  relate 
stories  of  their  school  days.  Nine  times  out  of 
ten  they  have  them  at  the  foot  of  the  class  or 
deficient  in  their  studies. 

The  small  town  feels  honored  if  a  company 
elects  to  open  their  season  with  them,  and  will 
always  do  their  best  to  get  them  a  good  house. 
If  the  company  rehearses  there  so  nuich  the 
better. 

When  Madame  Janauschek  was  at  the  height 
of  her  American  career,  it  suited  her  manager 
one  season  to  begin  the  tour  at  Syracuse,  N.  Y. 
The  wily  press  agent  went  to  the  city  a  week 
or  two  in  advance  of  the  opening  night  and  pro- 
ceeded to  impress  upon  the  newspaper  repre- 
sentatives of  local  theatricals  the  sublime  signifi- 


Driftwood  of  the  Sta^e,  211 

cance  of  madame's  alleged  great  oath  that  she 
would  open  at  Syracuse  or  cancel  her  entire 
season.  Her  manager  wanted  Chicago,  but  for 
the  sake  of  peace  he  would  compromise  on  New 
York,  Boston  or  Philadelphia.  Nothing  would 
move  Janauschek  from  the  rock  of  her  determin- 
ation to  get  the  advantage  of  the  well-salted 
Syracuse  intellect. 

Naturally,  and  very  properly,  the  Syracusans 
were  fired  with  patriotic  pride  in  the  implied 
compliment,  and  the  tragedienne  got  column  on 
column  of  laudatory  advance  work.  The  result 
was  a  really  brilliant  opening  night.  Between 
acts  an  ambitious  local  newspaper  man  went  on 
the  stage  to  have  an  interview  with  Brunhilde. 
"Madame,"  he  said,  with  a  bow,  "Syracuse  feels 
proud  that  you  elected  to  begin  your  tour  here, 
and  my  paper  would  like  to  tell  the  public  for 
you  the  reason  for  so  honoring  us." 

"My  Gott !"  exclaimed  the  imposing  Madame, 
"I  had  to  open  somewhere!'* 

It  would  never  do  to  overlook  the  lady  found 
in  every  one-night  stand  who  knows  all  about 
theatricals.  She  never  misses  a  performance, 
and  boasts  of  the  fact  that  she  never  paid  to 
see  a  show  in  her  life.  She  gives  theater  parties 
with  billboard  tickets,  and  introduces  her  guests 


212  Driftzvood  of  the  Sta^e. 


to  the  man  on  the  door,  whether  she  knows  him 
or  not.  She  calls  all  players  by  their  first  names, 
and  if  she  has  a  story  about  them,  is  not  over 
particular  as  to  its  truth.  A  self -constituted 
authority  on  the  merits  of  plays  and  players,  as 
well  as  their  salaries,  tends  to  make  her  much 
of  a  nuisance  to  those  who  happen  to  be  seated 
near  her. 

Some  years  ago  the  theatrical  folks  who  at 
that  time  made  Mt.  Clemens,  Mich.,  their  sum- 
mer home,  gave  a  benefit  performance  for  one 
of  their  comrades  who  had  long  been  an  invalid. 
Among  those  who  volunteered  their  services 
were  Charles  J.  Ross  and  Mabel  Fenton,  who 
presented  their  travesty,  which  concluded  with  a 
scene  from  "Virginius."  A  little  later,  when  the 
regular  season  opened,  a  well-known  actor 
visited  the  town,  and  presented  James  Sheridan 
Knowles'  tragedy  of  "Virginius."  The  house 
was  crowded,  and  the  play  well  received.  Vir- 
ginius,  after  stabbing  his  daughter  to  save  her 
from  the  polluting  touch  of  Appius  Claudius, 
stands  over  her  dead  body  holding  aloft  the 
bloody  knife.  Appius  commands  his  at- 
tendants to  seize  him.  The  frenzied  father 
shrieks  in  tones  of  desperation : 


Driftzvood  of  the  Sta^e.  213 

"If  tliey  dare 
To  tempt  the  desperate  weapon  that  is  maddened 
With   drinking   my   daughter's   blood,    why   let   them. 
Thus  it  rushes  in  amongst  them! 
Way  there!     Way!" 

Then  dashing  at  the  advancing  attendants  he 
cuts  his  way  through  and  escapes. 

In  the  audience  that  night  was  a  lady  who 
had  also  attended  the  performance  where  Mr. 
Ross  had  given  his  interpretation  of  the  Roman 
father.  When  the  faithful_daughter  sank  to  the 
ground,  preferring  death  to  dishonor,  the  lady 
began  to  show  signs  of  disapprobation.  The 
curtain  fell  and  the  star  and  leading  lady  re- 
sponded to  a  hearty  curtain  call.  This  was  where 
our  lady  friend  thought  proper  to  impress  on 
those  who  were  near  her  how  much  she  knew 
of  things  theatrical,  for  in  loud  tones  she  called 
out  to  a  gentleman  who  sat  some  distance  away : 

"Those  people  should  be  prosecuted.  The 
whole  thing  is  a  steal  from  Charley  Ross !" 


214  Driftwood  of  the  Sta^e. 


THE  CRUEL  HISS. 


Daniel  H.  Harkins,  the  veteran  actor,  who 
was  known  and  admired  by  three  generations  of 
players  and  playgoers,  was  engaged  for  the  im- 
portant role  of  the  King  in  the  production  of 
"The  Last  Appeal/'  at  Wallack's  Theater,  New 
York,  April  17,  1902.  On  the  opening  night  he 
appeared  at  the  theater  in  good  health  and 
spirits.  When  he  endeavored  to  utter  the  first 
lines  of  his  part,  however,  his  fellow-players 
realized  that  something  was  wrong.  As  the  per- 
formance went  on  the  old  player  became  more 
and  more  nervous,  and  he  seemed  utterly  to  for- 
get his  lines.  The  audience  was  at  first  inclined 
to  laugh,  and  then  hisses  were  heard  in  different 
parts  of  the  house. 

It  soon  became  apparent  that  the  actor  was 
ill  and  sympathetic  words  quickly  took  the  place 
of  smiles  among  the  auditors.  But  it  was  too 
late ;  the  hisses  had  reached  the  heart  of  this  fine 
old  actor  who  had  served  them  faithfully  for 
over  forty  years.  He  managed  to  get  through 
the  performance,  but  his  efforts  in  the  last  act 


Driftwood  of  the  Sta^e.  215 

were  most  pitiful.  His  mind  had  given  way. 
He  was  taken  from  the  theater  to  his  home, 
and  later  was  removed  to  the  home  of  his  father 
at  San  Francisco,  Cal.,  where  he  died  December 
7,  1902. 

The  audience  never  paused  to  consider  the 
pathetic  possibilities  of  the  situation.  Enough 
for  them  that  the  veteran  actor  acted  queer.  And 
so  they  laughed. 

Sick!  Nonsense.  Actors  are  never  sick  on 
the  stage.  They  may  be  intoxicated  or  not  up 
in  their  parts ;  but  sick,  never ! 

It  may  be  of  some  consolation  to  remember 
that  equally  inconsiderate  persons  have  laughed 
and  hissed  at  other  admirable  actors  under  cir- 
cumstances infinitely  distressing.  They  laughed 
at  Edmund  Kean,  one  of  the  greatest  tragedians 
of  the  Ejiglish-speaking  stage.  Mr.  Kean  was 
playing  Othello  to  the  lago  of  his  son  Charles. 
His  acting  that  night  was  peculiar.  He  was  un- 
steady on  his  legs.  The  boxes  tittered,  and  the 
gallery  hissed.  But  Mr.  Kean  went  on  with 
the  performance.  After  speaking  the  words, 
"Othello's  occupation's  gone,"  he  fell  into  the 
arms  of  his  son.    The  great  Kean  was  dying. 

They  laughed  at  Lawrence  Barrett.  It  was 
at  the  Broadway  Theater.    The  Booth  and  Bar- 


2i6  Driftwood  of  the  Sta^e. 

rett  combination  was  playing  its  last  engage- 
ment in  New  York.  The  play  was  "Richelieu/* 
Mr.  Barrett  appeared  as  Adrian  Du  Mauprat. 
He  acted  queer.  Unexpectedly  the  stage  mana- 
ger came  before  the  curtain  and  announced  that 
Mr.  Barrett  was  too  ill  to  continue  the  perform- 
ance, but  that  another  member  of  the  company 
would  take  his  place.  Edwin  Booth's  great 
partner  was  carried  from  the  theater  and  taken 
home  to  die. 

They  laughed  at  Castlemary,  the  grandest 
Mephistopheles  on  the  lyric  stage.  Castlemary 
was  singing  at  the  Metropolitan  Opera  House, 
New  York,  under  the  Abbey,  Schoeffel  and 
Grau  management.  He  was  frightfully  out  of 
tune  and  continually  forgot  his  part.  As  a  mat- 
ter of  fact,  the  man  was  suffering  untold  phys- 
ical pain.  When  the  curtain  fell  Castlemary 
fell  too.  He  died  on  the  stage  in  the  arms  of 
Jean  de  Reszke. 

They  laughed  at  George  S.  Knight  when  he 
sought  recognition  with  his  beautiful  play, 
"Baron  Rudolph,"  and  that  fine  actor  went  to 
his  grave  with  a  broken  heart.  "Baron  Rudolph" 
was  originally  written  by  Bronson  Howard  for 
Mr.  and  Mrs.  W.  J.  Florence,  but  was  not  ac- 
cepted by  them,  and  was  later  rewritten  for  Mr. 


Driftwood  of  the  Sta^e.  217 

Knight.  Its  first  presentation  was  at  the  Acad- 
emy of  Music,  Cleveland,  Ohio,  and  was  played 
by  Mr.  Knight  for  two  seasons,  when  it  was 
laid  aside  for  "Over  the  Garden  Wall."  On 
October  24,  1887,  it  was  produced  at  the  Four- 
teenth Street  Theater,  New  York,  and  kept  on 
the  stage  for  four  weeks.  It  was  during  this 
engagement  that  it  was  noticed  he  was  not  him- 
self, and  occasionally  forgot  his  lines.  A  little 
later  an  attack  of  paralysis  rendered  him  speech- 
less, and  he  was  treated  by  the  best  specialists 
without  avail.  A  benefit  performance  was  given 
at  the  Bijou  Theater,  New  York,  February  27, 
1890,  and  the  sum  of  $2,000  was  raised  for  the 
afflicted  actor.    He  died  January  14,  1892. 

They  laughed  at  "Old  Hoss"  Hoey  when  he 
began  to  do  strange  things  on  the  stage,  but  he 
only  laughed  with  them,  and  managed  to  fill  out 
the  season.  He  was  advised  to  take  a  rest  for 
a  time,  and  in  a  couple  of  months  was  laid  in 
his  grave.  His  last  appearance  on  the  stage  was 
in  "A  Parlor  Match,"  at  the  Harlem  Opera 
House,  New  York,  April  24,  1897.  Mr.  Hoey 
died  at  New  York,  June  29,  1897. 

Harry  Kernell  was  playing  at  Tony  Pastor's 
Theater,  New  York,  where  he  had  always  been 
a  great  favorite.     At  one  performance  it  was 


2i8  Driftwood  of  the  Stage. 

noticed  that  his  delivery  was  slow  and  his  stories 
consequently  fell  flat.  He  would  hesitate  for 
a  long  time,  as  if  collecting  his  thoughts.  They 
did  not  know  of  his  terrible  suffering  and  hissed 
him.  Soon  after  he  disappeared  from  public 
view.     He  died  March  13,  1893. 

They  hissed  John  McCullough  at  McVicker's 
Theater,  Chicago.  The  bill  was  ''The  Gladia- 
tor," with  Mr.  McCullough  as  Spartacus.  He 
had  been  great  in  that  part,  but  it  only  served 
to  give  apprehension.  He  forgot  his  lines, 
mumbled  and  groaned  and  ranted  in  an  alarm- 
ing manner.  He  indulged  in  so  many  queer 
actions  that  the  audience  laughed.  He  paid  no 
attention  to  the  smiles  and  tittering  of  his  audi- 
tors, but  soon  hisses  were  heard.  This  was  too 
much.  He  had  nev^r  in  his  long  career  been 
hissed  before,  and  he  stood  with  his  jaws  set 
glaring  defiantly  at  the  section  of  the  house  from 
which  came  the  objectionable  noise.  People 
thought  he  had  been  drinking.  Nothing  was 
ever  so  pitiful  as  the  sight  of  the  great  tragedian 
stumbling  through  his  lines,  ranting,  groaning, 
and  at  times  almost  dazed.  They  rang  down 
the  curtain. 

Then  Mr.  McCullough  appeared  before  the 
curtain  and  said :  'Xadies  and  gentlemen.     If 


Driftwood  of  the  Sta^e,  2ig 

this  evening's  performance  had  cost  you  the 
pain  and  effort  it  has  cost  me,  you  would  not 
be  here  to-night."  Those  were  the  last  words 
he  ever  spoke  to  an  audience — a  gentle  rebuke 
to  the  people  that  had  admired  and  applauded 
him  and  finally  misjudged  him.  Friendly  hands 
led  him  from  the  stage  and  into  retirement  for- 
ever. 

On  Christmas  night,  1891,  the  Fourteenth 
Street  Theater,  New  York,  was  crowded  to  see 
William  J.  Scanlan  in  "Mavourneen."  In  the 
first  act  he  who  had  long  been  a  stage  favorite 
strode  feebly  to  the  center  of  the  stage  and 
stood  with  clasped  hands  and  bowed  head.  When 
he  spoke  the  empty  sound  of  his  voice  struck 
terror  to  the  hearts  of  the  actors  who  stood  about 
him  and  loved  him.  He  did  not  know  what  to 
do  or  what  to  say.  The  last  act  was  chaos. 
Some  divined  the  truth,  but  others,  thoughtless 
and  ribald,  believing  Mr.  Scanlan  under  the 
influence  of  drink,  scoffed  and  jeered  as  the 
curtain  fell. 

He  stumbled  to  the  footlights  at  the  end  of 
the  performance  bearing  in  his  hands  a  floral 
harp  which  some  of  his  admirers  had  given 
him.  ''They  say,"  he  said  to  the  astonished 
audience,  ''that  I  am  out  of  my  mind,  but  that 


220  Driffzvood  of  the  Sta^e. 

is  not  true.  My  head  is  all  right  and  so  is  my 
heart."  He  began  to  cry  then.  There  was 
no  performance  of  "Mavourneen"  the  next 
day.  Poor  Billy  Scanlan  had  bid  the  stage 
good-bye.  He  died  at  White  Plains,  New 
York,  February   i8,   1898. 

There  have  been  cases  where  actors  have 
been  hissed  on  purely  personal  reasons.  At  the 
close  of  the  civil  war  Frank  C.  Bangs,  who 
had  served  in  the  Confederate  army  with  a 
splendid  record  for  bravery,  went  to  the  Na- 
tional Theater,  Washington,  D.  C,  as  leading 
man.  The  resident  population  of  the  city  were 
all  Southern  and  endeavored  to  control  the  en- 
tire house  on  the  occasion  of  his  first  appear- 
ance. Knowing  there  would  be  a  demonstra- 
tion of  some  kind,  many  of  the  Northern 
officials  and  soldiers  then  in  Washington  gained 
entrance.  The  gallery  gods  were  all  South- 
erners to  the  core.  When  Mr.  Bangs  came  on 
the  stage  the  Northerners  started  to  hiss.  But 
the  thunders  of  applause  from  all  over  the  house 
and  the  rebel  yell  soon  drowned  the  hisses,  and 
he  was  allowed  to  proceed. 

A  band  of  students  once  hissed  Sarah  Bern- 
hardt in  her  own  theater  at  Paris.  The  divine 
Sarah  was  astounded,  and  was  curious  to  know 


George  W.  Wii^son 


Driftwood  of  the  Sta^e.  221 

the  reason,  whereupon  the  students  replied  that 
they  had  only  admiration  for  her  acting,  but  that 
not  even  she  could  meddle  with  the  genius  of 
Racine.  She  was  playing  in  a  revival  of  "An- 
dromaque."  The  play  as  performed  was  not 
as  written  by  the  author,  and  the  students,  as 
worshipers  of  the  French  literary  genius, 
would  not,  they  said,  permit  anyone  to  insult 
the  memory  of  the  great  Racine  by  trying  to 
modernize  his  plays. 

On  several  occasions  there  have  been  or- 
ganized efforts  on  the  part  of  Irish  societies 
to  interfere  with  performances  that  presented 
racial  caricatures.  "A  Hot  Old  Time"  com- 
pany was  hissed  and  hooted  at  when  playing 
Springfield,  Mass.  At  Philadelphia,  the  par- 
ticipants in  the  wake  scene  in  ''The  Shaugh- 
raun"  were  assailed  with  missiles,  and  at  the 
same  city  a  performance  of  ''McFadden's  Row 
of  Flats"  ended  in  a  riot,  in  which  many  were 
injured.  The  riot  was  similar  to  one  that 
occurred  to  the  same  company  while  playing 
at  the  Star  Theater,  New  York,  the  week  pre- 
vious, when  two  hundred  Irishmen,  whose 
feelings  had  been  outraged  by  the  performance, 
rose  in  their  seats  in  the  theater  at  a  signal  and 
pelted  the  performers  with  stale  eggs,  decayed 


222  Driftwood  of  the  Sta^e. 

vegetables  and  fruit.  The  audience  of  over 
two  thousand  v^as  thrown  into  an  uproar  and 
the  actors  were  driven  from  the  stage.  Bricks 
were  thrown  upon  the  stage,  eggs  struck  per- 
formers and  scenery;  torpedoes  were  hurled 
upon  the  stage,  which  struck  with  such  force 
that  they  exploded  like  so  many  bombs.  The 
stage  was  littered  and  the  actors  and  actresses 
sought  refuge  in  every  corner. 

Then  there  quickly  followed  a  scene  of  wild 
disorder  and  riot  which  was  feared  would  ter- 
minate fatally  to  some  one.  The  air  seemed 
filled  with  missiles,  and  the  noise  of  bursting 
torpedoes  seemed  like  a  miniature  battle.  The 
confusion  was  intense,  and  the  cries  of  women 
and  children  could  be  heard  above  the  din  of 
the  rioters'  oaths.  Immediately  there  was  a 
rush  for  the  exits,  and  in  the  excitement  women 
and  children  were  trampled  upon.  None  were 
seriously  injured,  however.  In  the  uproar  a 
policeman  who  was  trying  to  preserve  order 
discovered  and  stamped  out  a  burning  rag  in 
one  of  the  aisles. 

In  June,  1902,  Maclyn  Ar buckle  while  play- 
ing at  Powers'  Theater,  Chicago,  in  "The  Lady 
of  Lyons,"  was  greeted  with  a  fierce  storm  of 
indignation  created  by  his  lines  on  woman  in 


Driftzvood  of  the  Sta^e.  223 

the  fifth  act.  In  the  play  Mr.  Arbuckle  had  to 
say:  "Yes,  a  miracle — in  other  words,  a  con- 
stant woman."  Storms  of  hisses  greeted  this 
denunciation  of  the  sex,  and  for  five  minutes 
the  play  was  interrupted  by  continued  hissing. 
The  house  was  filled  with  fashionable  women, 
and  they  could  not  seem  to  realize  that  they 
were  witnessing  a  play.  They  took  the  jibe  to 
heart.  A  few  of  the  women  were  not  content 
with  hissing  and  gave  vent  to  cries  of  "Shame !'' 
and  "Wretch!"  and  various  other  words  of 
condemnation.  When  Mr.  Arbuckle  attempted 
to  go  on  w^ith  his  speech  on  the  frailties  of 
woman  he  was  interrupted  again  at  every  line. 

In  the  early  seventies  Archie  Hughes  be- 
gan an  engagement  at  the  Theater  Comique, 
New  York.  Mr.  Hughes,  who  was  a  noted 
minstrel  and  a  great  favorite  in  Brooklyn,  where 
he  had  for  years  been  connected  with  Hooley's 
Minstrels,  would  occasionally  be  called  upon  to 
play  at  New  York,  and  was  always  sure  of  a 
good  reception. 

On  this  occasion  he  had  hardly  commenced 
his  specialty  when  hisses  began  to  come  from 
all  parts  of  the  house.  This  was  a  puzzle  to 
everybody,  as  it  was  not  known  that  Archie  had 
an  enemy  in  the  world.     Suspicion  pointed  to 


224  Driftwood  of  the  Stage. 

a  well-known  vaudeville  team  at  that  time  at 
the  height  of  their  career.  Both  denied  being 
implicated  in  the  affair,  but  subsequent  investi- 
gation proved  the  senior  member  of  the  team 
the  sole  instigator  of  the  insult.  The  saying 
that  revenge  is  sweet  was  shown  in  this  case. 
It  was  not  long  after  that  this  team  was  en- 
gaged for  the  Olympic  Theater,  at  Brooklyn. 
During  the  day  that  they  were  to  appear  several 
large  purchases  of  tickets  gave  a  hint  that 
there  would  be  something  doing  that  night,  and 
when  a  prominent  city  official  purchased  one 
hundred  tickets  to  give  a  theater  party  to  a 
social  club  to  which  Mr.  Hughes  belonged,  they 
were  sure  of  it.  The  team  had  a  fine  specialty, 
one  of  the  most  successful  acts  ever  on  the 
stage,  the  music  of  which  was  being  whistled 
and  sung  by  everybody.  This  made  no  dif- 
ference to  the  crowded  house  that  received  them 
only  to  return  the  insult  that  had  been  offered 
to  their  favorite  and  fellow-townsman.  When 
the  orchestra  commenced  to  play  the  introduc- 
tory music  to  their  act  the  noise  and  hisses 
began.  They  were  not  allowed  to  proceed. 
The  senior  member  of  the  team  stepped  to  the 
footlights  to  say  something  to  the  audience  but 
was  hooted  down.     The    junior    member  then 


Driftwood  of  the  Sta^e.  22^ 

stepped  forward  and  was  loudly  cheered,  as 
was  a  small  colored  boy  used  in  the  act  who 
had  been  led  to  the  front  by  both  of  the  per- 
formers. Finding  it  would  be  impossible  to 
proceed  the  team  withdrew. 

In  some  of  the  London  playhouses  they  have 
a  way  distinctively  their  own  in  showing  their 
disapprobation  of  a  play  or  player  that  does  not 
suit  their  fancy.  Certain  sections  of  the  house 
observe  a  dignified  silence,  and  the  galleries 
indulge  in  what  some  call  an  automatic  outcry, 
but  can  better  be  described  as  a  ''boo." 

Upon  the  occasion  of  William  Gillette's  first 
performance  in  "Sherlock  Holmes"  at  the 
Lyceum  Theater,  London,  this  clever  actor  was 
not  received  with  the  proper  courtesy  that  was 
due  him.  When  the  curtain  finally  fell  there 
were  a  great  many  calls  for  Mr.  Gillette's  ap- 
pearance. As  he  stepped  forward  quite  a  large 
number  of  the  upstairs  spectators  with  that  deli- 
cate sense  of  humor  began  to  "boo."  Mr.  Gil- 
lette was  not  in  the  least  disconcerted.  He 
stood  there  with  a  slight  smile  flickering  about 
his  thin  lips,  and  when  he  had  a  chance  to  be 
heard,  he  said:  "Of  course,  if  you  keep  this 
up,  you'll  win!" 


15 


226  Driftwood  of  the  Stage. 


STORY  OF  JOHN  WILKES  BOOTH. 


John  Wilkes  Booth  was  the  third  son  of 
Junius  Brutus  Booth,  known  as  a  tragedian  of 
very  great  ability  in  his  life,  and  was  born  on 
a  farm  near  Baltimore,  Md.,  in  1838;  he  was 
consequently  at  the  time  of  his  death  only 
twenty-seven  years  of  age. 

The  children  of  actors  very  often  embrace 
their  parent's  vocation.  John  Wilkes  was  no 
exception  to  this  rule,  and  at  the  age  of  seven- 
teen resolved  to  enroll  himself  among  the  mem- 
bers of  the  dramatic  profession.  Opportunity 
was  not  wanting,  and  he  made  his  first  bow  to 
an  audience  at  the  St.  Charles  Theater,  Balti- 
more, Md.,  as  Richmond,  in  "Richard  III."  In 
August,  1857,  he  joined  the  company  at  the 
Arch  Street  Theater,  Philadelphia,  making  his 
first  appearance  there  as  Second  Mask  in  "The 
Belle's  Stratagem"  under  the  name  of  John 
Wilkes.    He  remained  there  during  the  season. 

Having  gained  some  confidence  he  resolved  on 
a  starring  tour,  and  in  1861  made  engagements 


Driftwood  of  the  Sta^e.  227 

at  the  different  theaters.  He  visited  all  the  prin- 
cipal cities  and  his  success  was  very  great.  He 
made  his  first  appearance  in  New  York  as  a  star 
at  Wallack's  Theater,  Broadway  and  Broome 
Street,  March  31,  1862.  Retired  from  the  stage 
in  1863  and  speculated  in  oil  in  the  oil  regions 
of  Pennsylvania.  On  November  25,  1864,  he 
appeared  with  his  two  brothers,  Edwin  and 
Junius  Brutus,  in  "J^^i^s  Caesar"  at  the  Win- 
ter Garden,  New  York,  for  the  benefit  of  the 
Shakespeare  Monument  Fund,  John  Wilkes  act- 
ing Marc  Antony.  This  occasion  and  his  one 
week's  engagement  at  Wallack's  Theater  were 
his  only  appearances  in  New  York.  His  last 
appearance  on  any  stage  was  at  Ford's  Theater, 
Washington,  D.  C,  as  Pescara,  in  "The  Apos- 
tate," for  the  benefit  of  John  McCullough, 
March  18,  1865,  but  a  short  time  before  the 
unfortunate  tragedy  that  plunged  the  nation  into 
grief.  The  act  of  a  misguided  young  man  who 
atoned  for  it  by  a  violent  death  preceded  by  the 
most  agonizing  tortures,  cut  off  in  the  bloom 
of  youth. 

On  the  night  of  April  14,  1865,  an  invitation 
was  extended  to  President  Lincoln  and  suite  to 
attend  Ford's  Theater,  Washington,  D.  C,  to 
witness    a    performance    of    "Our    American 


228  Driftwood  of  the  Stage. 

Cousin."  The  party  consisted  of  the  President, 
Mrs.  Lincoln,  Major  Rathbone  and  Miss  Harris. 
It  was  intended  that  General  Grant  was  to  be  one 
of  the  party  but  he  was  compelled  to  leave  the 
city  on  important  business.  The  recent  victories 
had  greatly  increased  the  popularity  of  the  ad- 
ministration, and  the  most  enthusiastic  cheers 
greeted  the  President  from  one  of  the  most  bril- 
liant audiences  that  had  assembled  that  season. 
All  the  elite  and  beauty  of  the  federal  city  were 
present. 

The  presidential  box  was  made  on  this  occa- 
sion from  two,  the  partitions  being  removed,  and 
it  was  on  a  level  with  the  dress  circle,  about 
twelve  feet  above  the  stage.  There  were  two  en- 
trances, the  door  nearest  the  wall  was  closed  and 
locked,  the  other  being  open  and  left  unclosed  af- 
ter the  visitors  had  entered.  The  interior  was 
carpeted  in  crimson,  the  walls  papered  with  the 
same  color,  and  furnished  with  a  sofa,  three  arm 
chairs  and  a  rocking  chair  of  a  similar  hue.  The 
President  occupied  the  rocking  chair,  which  was 
placed  in  the  angle  of  the  box  nearest  the  audi- 
ence, where  screened  from  observation  he  had 
the  best  view  of  what  was  passing  on  the  stage. 
Mrs.  Lincoln  had  the  seat  next  to  him. 

Booth  entered  the  theater  just  as  the  third  act 


Driftwood  of  the  Sta^e.  229 

had  commenced.  He  ascended  to  the  dress  cir- 
cle and  gazed  for  a  few  moments  on  the  audience 
and  the  stage.  He  then  slowly  walked  to  the 
box  and  asked  for  admission.  The  servant  in 
attendance  informed  him  it  was  the  President's 
box  and  no  one  was  allowed  to  enter.  He  then 
advanced  to  the  front  of  the  box,  and  suddenly 
the  sharp  crack  of  a  pistol  was  heard.  The 
President's  head  fell  on  his  shoulder;  the  ball 
was  in  his  brain. 

Dropping  his  pistol  he  drew  a  dirk,*  and 
wounded  Major  Rathbone  in  the  arm.  Then 
leaping  upon  the  velvet  covered  balustrade  in  the 
front  of  the  box  he  made  a  spring,  his  spur 
caught  in  the  flag  ornamenting  the  front,  and 
his  leg  was  broken.  Heedless  of  the  pain,  he 
fell  upon  the  stage.  Quickly  regaining  his  feet 
he  stood  there  for  a  moment  and  shouting  with 
an  uplifted  dagger  in  his  hand,  "Sic  Semper 
Tyrannis!"  fled  to  the  rear  of  the  theater. 
Colonel  Stewart,  who  sat  near  the  orchestra, 
climbed  after  him,  but  Booth  eluded  his  grasp. 
Another  who  attempted  to  pursue  was  thrust 
aside  with  a  blow.  He  gained  the  back  door, 
mounted  the  horse  that  was  awaiting  him,  and 
for  a  time  escaped. 

A  dead  stillness  reigned  for  a  few  seconds, 


230  Driftwood  of  the  Sta^e. 

This  pause  was  succeeded  by  the  most  indescrib- 
able noise  and  confusion.  Laura  Keene,  the  star 
of  the  evening,  addressed  the  audience  from  the 
footlights  begging  them  to  keep  their  seats. 
Order  was  restored  and  Miss  Keene  then  pro- 
ceeded to  the  President's  box  and  took  the  head 
of  the  dying  statesman  in  her  lap.  The  night 
was  the  most  awful  that  Washington  ever  saw. 
The  news  soon  circulated  from  house  to  house, 
and  inquiries  as  to  the  safety  of  General  Grant, 
Secretary  Seward,  and  other  members  of  the 
cabinet,  fell  from  a  thousand  lips.  The  whole 
city  was  moved  as  one  man  and  every  counten- 
ance was  blanched  with  rage  and  fear.  The 
fourteenth  of  April,  1865,  was  now  a  memorable 
day  in  history,  and  the  most  melancholy  in  the 
annals  of  the  country. 

The  wounded  man  was  immediately  attended 
by  the  best  medical  skill,  who  had  him  conveyed 
to  a  private  residence  opposite  the  theater,  where 
he  continued  to  grow  weaker  and  weaker,  until 
twenty-two  minutes  after  seven  o'clock  on  Sat- 
urday morning,  April  15,  when  his  eyes  closed 
in  death. 

The  theaters  and  all  other  places  of  amuse- 
ment everywhere  that  the  painful  intelligence 
reached,  were  closed  on  the  15th,  and  no  per- 


Driftwood  of  the  Sta^e.  231 

formance  given  at  any  of  them.  Some  houses 
did  not  open  until  after  the  funeral  of  the  chief 
magistrate.  Edwin  Booth  at  the  time  was  acting 
at  the  Boston  Theater.  When  the  news  of  his 
brother's  terrible  deed  reached  him  he  retired 
from  the  stage  and  buried  himself  in  obscurity. 
He  reappeared  January  3,  1866,  at  the  Winter 
Garden,  New  York,  as  Hamlet. 

The  remains  of  the  President  were  entombed 
with  great  magnificence,  each  city  extending  its 
mournful  hospitality  as  the  funeral  cortege 
passed  through  them  on  the  way  to  the  final  rest- 
ing place  at  Springfield,  111. 

On  leaving  the  theater  Booth  was  joined  by 
David  E.  Harold,  and  together  they  dashed 
across  Capitol  Hill  towards  the  eastern  branch  of 
the  Potomac,  which  they  crossed  at  Uniontown. 
They  then  proceeded  on  their  journey  at  a  break- 
neck pace,  neither  whip  nor  spur  was  wanting; 
it  was  a  race  for  life  or  death,  and  they  felt  it. 
About  sunrise  on  Saturday  morning  they  had 
reached  Bryantown.  Booth's  leg  was  now  very 
painful,  but  they  rode  on  until  they  reached  the 
house  of  Dr.  Samuel  A.  Mudd.  Harold  assisted 
his  companion  to  the  house  of  the  doctor,  who 
on  making  an  examination  of  the  wounded  limb 
found  the  outward  bone  was  broken  about  two 


232  Drifizvood  of  the  Sta^e. 

inches  above  the  instep.  There  was  some  diffi- 
culty in  finding  splints  and  a  crutch,  but  some 
old  boxes  were  broken  up  and  the  necessary 
articles  made.  Breakfast  was  served  and  the 
two  men  departed. 

By  night  they  had  reached  one  of  the  swamps 
so  well-known  in  St.  Mary's  County.  Three 
days  were  passed  in  the  swamp.  Harold  would 
go  out  at  nightfall  to  beg  food,  and  on  one  oc- 
casion stole  a  blanket  and  tin  cup;  these  with 
the  exception  of  a  little  money  constituted  their 
sole  possessions. 

An  immense  reward  was  offered  by  the  gov- 
ernment for  their  capture.  Ten  thousand  caval- 
rymen had  been  scouring  the  country,  but  as  yet, 
fruitlessly.  All  Booth's  precautions  had  been 
so  well  taken  that  not  a  step  could  be  traced. 

The  two  men  continued  their  travels  and  took 
refuge  in  a  barn  near  Bowling  Green,  where  in 
the  darkness  of  the  night  on  Tuesday,  April  26, 
they  were  discovered  armed  to  the  teeth  and 
bidding  defiance  to.  the  men  sent  to  capture  them. 
They  were  ordered  to  deliver  up  their  arms  and 
come  out  or  the  barn  would  be  fired.  The  al- 
ternative was  fearful.  If  they  remained  in  the 
barn  a  dreadful  death  by  fire  awaited  them,  if 
they  came  out  the  scaffold  and  halter.     Harold 


Driftzvood  of  the  Sta^e.  233 


came  to  the  door  and  surrendered  to  the  officers 
and  was  passed  to  the  rear. 

Booth  was  now  alone  and  the  pursuers  see- 
ing no  other  way  of  driving  him  out,  fire  was 
set  to  the  barn.  In  a  few  seconds  the  flames 
danced  around  every  part  and  showed  Booth 
supporting  himself  against  the  side.  He  had 
dropped  his  crutch  and  could  not  recover  it.  Col- 
lecting all  his  strength  he  made  for  the  door  car- 
bine in  hand,  but  before  he  reached  it  a  bullet 
from  the  weapon  of  Sergeant  Boston  Corbett 
entered  his  neck.  He  tottered  and  fell  headlong 
to  the  floor.  He  was  taken  out  and  laid  on 
the  grass.  The  angel  of  death  drew  near.  As 
the  dawn  approached  his  eyes  rolled  and  a  livid 
paleness  overspread  the  face;  with  a  sudden 
check  and  gurgle  he  threw  his  head  back,  and 
the  spirit  had  fled  forever. 

The  corpse  was  sewed  up  in  a  saddle  blanket 
and  conveyed  by  wagon  to  Belle  Plain,  which 
was  reached  in  the  afternoon,  thence  by  steamer 
to  Washington.  On  the  morning  of  April  28 
Booth's  body  was  lifted  on  to  the  deck  of  the 
monitor  Montauk.  It  was  solemnly  laid  on  a 
carpenter's  bench  back  of  the  turret.  An  autopsy 
was  held  next  dav.     The  bodv  was  then  taken 


234  Driftwood  of  the  Sta^e. 

to  the  Washington  Penitentiary  and  buried  be- 
neath the  stone  floor. 

The  government  in  the  meantime  had  not  been 
idle.  The  nation  had  recovered  from  its  great 
shock,  and  after  the  last  sad  duties  had  been 
paid  to  the  dead  President,  resolved  to  ascertain 
and  punish  the  conspirators.  Everybody  that 
had  been  seen  in  Booth's  company  during  the 
day  were  put  under  arrest  on  suspicion  of  being 
accessories  to  the  crime.  This,  however,  was 
a  mere  formality,  which  in  the  general  excite- 
ment could  not  be  overlooked.  Of  course,  there 
was  little  difficulty  about  obtaining  immediate 
release,  for  it  was  evident  that  not  one  of  his 
companions  had  the  remotest  idea  of  the 
thoughts  that  had  been  surging  through  Booth's 
brain. 

Lewis  Payne,  Mrs.  Mary  E.  Surratt,  George 
A.  Atzerodt,  Michael  O'Laughlin,  David  E. 
Harold,  Dr.  Samuel  A.  Mudd  and  Edward 
Spangler  were  arrested  and  charged  with  con- 
spiracy. They  were  also  accused  of  intent  to 
kill  Andrew  Johnson,  Ulysses  S.  Grant,  and 
others  who  were  named  in  the  charges.  A  mili- 
tary commission  was  appointed  for  their  trial. 
In  accordance  with  the  findings  of  the  commis- 
sion, which' the    President    approved,    Harold, 


Driftwood  of  the  Sta^e.  235 

Payne,  Atzerodt  and  Mrs.  Surratt  were  sen- 
tenced to  death  and  executed  on  July  7,  1865. 
Dr.  Mudd  and  0''Laughlin  were  sentenced 
to  life  imprisonment,  and  Spangler  to  six  years 
in  the  Albany  Penitentiary. 

On  the  15th  day  of  February,  1869,  Edwin 
Booth  received  an  order  from  President  An- 
drew Johnson  giving  him  the  custody  of  his 
brother's  body.  The  undertaker  in  charge  pro- 
ceeded to  the  penitentiary  and  found  that  John 
Wilkes  was  buried  in  a  trench  that  also  held 
the  bodies  of  Captain  Wirz,  Mrs.  Surratt, 
Payne,  Harold  and  Atzerodt.  Preparations  were 
at  once  commenced  for  the  disinterment  of  the 
remains.  There  were  present  the  undertakers, 
a  military  officer,  a  representative  of  the  press 
and  a  file  of  soldiers.  The  box  in  which  the  re- 
mains were  interred  was  much  decayed,  but  the 
body  which  was  wrapped  in  two  or  three  gray 
blankets  was  in  a  tolerable  state  of  preservation. 
The  box  was  then  borne  by  four  soldier?  to  a 
wagon  in  waiting,  and  that  night  encased  in 
another  pine  box  was  taken  by  car  to  Balti- 
more. Joseph  Booth,  a  brother,  viewed  the  body 
and  identified  it  beyond  doubt.  Later  the  re- 
mains were  placed  in  their  final  resting  place  in 
the  family  burial  plot  in  Greenmount  Cemetery, 
Baltimore,  Md. 


236  Driftzvood  of  the  Sta^e, 


THE  LAST  APPEARANCE. 


It  may  not  be  generally  known  that  the  great 
French  tragedienne,  Rachael,  was  forced  by  ill- 
ness to  bring  her  dramatic  career  to  a  close  and 
make  her  last  appearance  on  the  stage  while 
on  a  visit  to  this  country.  This  renowned  actress 
made  her  debut  at  the  Gymnaise  Theater,  Paris, 
in  May,  1837,  in  a  play  called  "La  Vendeene,'' 
in  which  she  acted  a  poor  peasant  girl  who  saves 
the  life  of  her  father  by  pleading  with  the  Em- 
press Josephine.  Rachael  made  her  first  ap- 
pearance in  America  at  New  York,  September 
3,  1855,  as  Camille,  in  Corneille's  tragedy  ''Les 
Horaces."  While  in  Philadelphia  she  caught  a 
bad  cold,  collapsed,  and  on  the  advice  of  her 
physician  was  sent  to  Charleston,  S.  C,  that  she 
might  escape  the  rigors  of  a  northern  winter. 
It  was  in  the  latter  city  on  December  17,  1855, 
that  she  made  her  last  appearance  on  any  stage 
as  Adrienne  Lecouvreur.  At  the  time  she  was 
dying  by  inches  of  consumption.  Next  she  went 
to  Havana,  and  then  back  to  France,  never  more 


Driftwood  of  the  Sta^e.  237 


to  act.     Rachael  lingered  on  until  January  3, 
1858,  when  she  passed  from  earth. 

The  last  appearance  of  Frank  Mayo  on  the 
stage  was  at  the  Broadway  Theater,  Denver, 
Col.,  June  7,  1896,  as  Pudd'nhead  Wilson  in  the 
play  of  that  name,  which  was  originally  pro- 
duced by  him  at  the  Herald  Square  Theater, 
New  York,  April  15,  1895.  Mr.  Mayo  in  his 
time  played  many  parts,  but  those  best  remem- 
bered are  Davy  Crockett  and  Pudd'nhead  Wil- 
son. Davy  Crockett  was  called  a  "backwoods 
idyl."  It  was  a  pure  love  story,  told  in  a  simple, 
dramatic  way.  The  character  of  Davy  Crockett, 
the  central  figure,  was  beautifully  and  artistically 
drawn,  a  strong,  brave  young  hunter  from  the 
far  West,  bold,  but  unassuming;  unable  to  read 
or  write ;  utterly  unconscious  of  his  own  physical 
beauty  and  of  his  own  heroism.  There  is  no 
doubt  that  Davy  Crockett  owed  much  of  its  suc- 
cess to  Mr.  Mayo's  performance  of  this  back- 
woods hero.  He  first  played  this  character  at 
Rochester,  N.  Y.,  in  1873,  producing  it  at 
Niblo's  Garden,  New  York,  March  9,  1874. 

Mr.  Mayo  made  his  first  appearance  on  the 
stage  at  the  American  Theater,  San  Francisco, 
CaL,  July  19,  1856,  as  a  waiter  in  ^'Raising  the 
Wind."    He  played  an  engagement  at  Boston  in 


238  Driftwood  of  the  Sta^c. 

1865,  and  a  little  later  played  star  engagements 
throughout  the  country.  His  first  appearance 
in  New  York  was  at  the  Grand  Opera  House, 
March  31,  1869,  when  he  was  specially  engaged 
for  the  part  of  Ferdinand  in  a  production  of 
'The  Tempest/'  Mr.  Mayo  died  on  a  rail- 
way train,  June  8,  1896. 

The  last  appearance  on  the  stage  of  James  A. 
Heme  was  at  the  Grand  Opera  House,  Chicago, 
in  the  spring  of  1901,  as  Captain  Dan  Marble, 
in  the  play  "Sag  Harbor,"  of  which  he  was  the 
author.  Mr.  Heme's  theatrical  career  was  a 
notable  one  of  forty-two  years'  duration.  His 
first  appearance  was  at  the  Adelphi  Theater, 
Troy,  N.  Y.,  in  April,  1859,  as  George  Shelby, 
in  "Uncle  Tom's  Cabin,"  and  he  was  suc- 
cessively leading  man  and  star,  manager  and 
dramatist.  In  addition,  he  was  a  thoroughly 
capable  stage  manager.  His  first  play  was 
"Hearts  of  Oak,"  produced  at  Chicago  in  1878. 
Next  came  "The  Minute  Man,"  and  later 
"Drifting  Apart"  and  "Margaret  Fleming."  His 
biggest  success  was  "Shore  Acres,"  first  played 
at  Chicago  in  1892.  "Sag  Harbor"  was  first 
brought  out  at  Boston,  October  24,  1899.  The 
action  of  the  play  was  placed  at  Sag  Harbor, 
a  village  on  Long  Island,  which  in  the  old  days 


ISABEi.  Irving. 


Driftzvood  of  the  Sta^e.  239 

was  a  prosperous  whaling  port.  With  remark- 
able fidelity  to  nature  he  transferred  to  the 
theater  the  quaint  characters  of  the  village,  and 
throughout  the  play  was  notable  for  the  rich 
quality  of  its  humor.  Captain  Marble,  as  pre- 
sented by  Mr.  Heme,  was  one  of  those  lovable 
characters  of  which  his  Nathaniel  Berry  in 
"Shore  Acres,"  was  so  delightful  a  type.  Mr. 
Heme  died  at  New  York,  June  2,  1901. 

Mrs.  John  Drew,  who  was  regarded  as  one 
of  the  most  versatile  actresses  ever  seen  on  the 
American  stage,  played  her  last  engagement  at 
the  Newark  Theater,  Newark,  N.  J.,  January 
9,  1897,  as  the  Duchess  of  Rulford,  in  "The 
Sporting  Duchess."  Her  last  appearance  on  any 
stage  was  at  the  benefit  given  to  Edwin  F. 
Knowles  at  the  Montauk  Theater,  Brooklyn,  N. 
Y.,  May  13,  1897,  when  she  acted  in  a  little 
sketch  entitled  "The  First  Jury  of  Women.*" 
Her  first  important  speaking  character  was  Agib 
in  "Timour,  the  Tartar,"  at  the  Liverpool  Thea- 
ter, when  but  a  child. 

Her  first  appearance  in  America  took  place 
at  the  Walnut  Street  Theater,  Philadelphia,  as 
the  Duke  of  York  to  the  elder  Booth's  Richard 
ni.  First  appeared  in  New  York  at  the  Bowery 
Theater,  March  3,  1828.    She  went  to  the  Arch 


240  Driftwood  of  the  Sta^e. 

Street  Theater  in  Philadelphia  in  February, 
1853,  and  assumed  the  management  of  this  thea- 
ter August  31,  1 86 1,  and  thereafter  until  her 
tours  as  a  special  attraction  in  star  combina- 
tions, her  name  was  identified  with  the  house. 
She  was  perfectly  at  home  in  tragedy  or  comedy, 
but  perhaps  Lady  Teazle  and  Mrs.  Malaprop 
are  the  two  best  remembered  creations  of  this 
lady.  As  Mrs.  Malaprop  she  made  her  ludicrous 
verbal  blunders  with  the  most  sublime  uncon- 
sciousness, and  embodying  the  part  as  she  alone 
could  do  it.  When  the  Jefferson-Florence  com- 
bination was  formed  in  1889,  Mrs.  Drew  was 
engaged  and  was  the  next  player  of  interest  and 
importance  in  the  cast.  She  died  at  Larchmont, 
N.  Y.,  August  31,  1897. 

George  L.  Fox,  most  famous  as  a  panto- 
mimist,  made  his  last  appearance  on  the  stage 
at  Booth's  Theater,  New  York,  November  2y, 
1875,  as  Humpty  Dumpty,  a  part  he  had  played 
over  1,200  times.  Mr.  Fox  made  his  first  ap- 
pearance at  the  Tremont  Theater,  Boston,  in 
1830,  when  but  five  years  of  age,  and  after 
nearly  half  a  century  before  the  footlights,  shat- 
tered in  health  and  broken  in  mind,  he  disap- 
peared from  the  public  view.  He  died  at  Cam- 
bridge, Mass.,  October  24,  1877. 


Driftwood  of  the  Stag^e,  241 

Charles  R.  Thorne,  Jr.,  made  his  last  appear- 
ance on  the  stage  at  Booth's  Theater,  New  York, 
January  9,  1883.  Mr.  Thorne  appeared  in  an 
elaborate  revival  of  "The  Corsican  Brothers," 
in  the  dual  role  of  Louis  and  Fabian.  After 
the  second  performance  he  was  taken  ill  and 
unable  to  leave  his  bed,  and  the  theater  was 
closed.  The  first  part  Mr.  Thorne  played  was 
that  of  George  Shelby,  in  "Uncle  Tom's  Cabin," 
in  1854.  He  died  at  New  York,  March  10, 
1883. 

Fanny  Davenport  made  her  last  appearance 
on  the  stage  at  the  Grand  Opera  House,  Chi- 
cago, March  22^,  1898,  as  Cleopatra.  Miss  Da- 
venport's first  appearance  on  the  stage  was  at 
the  Howard  Athenaeum,  Boston,  as  the  Child 
in  "Metamora."  Her  first  appearance  in  New 
York  was  at  Niblo's  Garden,  February  14,  1862, 
as  King  Charles  11.,  in  "Faint  Heart  Never 
Won  Fair  Lady,"  her  father  as  Ruy  Gomez,  and 
her  mother  as  the  Duchess  of  Terranueva.  Her 
first  appearance  in  Augustin  Daly's  company  was 
at  the  Fifth  Avenue  Theater,  New  York,  Sep- 
tember 29,  1869,  as  Lady  Gay  Spanker,  in 
"London  Assurance."  She  produced  Sardou's 
play  of  "Fedora"  in  1883;  "La  Tosca"  in  1888; 

"Cleopatra"  in  1890,  and  "Gismonda"  in  1894. 
10 


242  Driftwood  of  the  Stage. 

Miss  Davenport  died  at  Duxbury,  Mass.,  Sep- 
tember 26,  1898. 

William  J.  Florence  made  his  last  appearance 
on  the  stage  at  the  Arch  Street  Theater,  Phila- 
delphia, November  14,  1891,  playing  the  part 
of  Zekiel  Homespun  in  "The  Heir  at  Law." 
Mr.  Florence  made  his  professional  debut  at  the 
Richmond  Hill  Theater,  New  York,  December 
6,  1849,  as  Peter,  in  "The  Stranger."  On  Oc- 
tober 15,  1889,  Mr.  Florence  and  Joseph  Jeffer- 
son made  their  joint  appearance  at  the  Star 
Theater,  New  York,  in  "The  Rivals,"  Mr.  Jef- 
ferson in  the  part  of  Bob  Acres  and  Mr. 
Florence  as  Sir  Lucius  O'Trigger.  Mrs.  John 
Drew  was  engaged  for  the  part  of  Mrs.  Mala- 
prop.  Mr.  Florence  died  at  Philadelphia,  No- 
vember 18,  1 89 1. 

The  last  appearance  on  the  stage  of  Joseph 
Haworth  took  place  at  the  Victoria  Theater, 
New  York,  May  2,  1903,  as  Prince  Dimitri  in 
"Resurrection."  For  years  Mr.  Haworth  was 
accounted  one  of  the  very  best  actors  on  the 
American  stage.  He  was  assuredly  one  of  the 
most  studious  and  intellectual  members  of  the 
dramatic  profession  in  this  country,  and  through 
,his  whole  career  his  influence  was  always  toward 
the  betterment  of  stage  art.    He  was  a  man  of 


Driftwood  of  the  Stage.  243 

unusually  broad  mental  attainments,  a  master 
of  the  mechanics  of  acting,  and  in  temperament 
a  thorough  artist.  When  he  was  eighteen  years 
old  Mr.  Haworth  encountered  the  chance  that 
opened  to  him  a  career  on  the  stage.  He  was 
permitted  to  recite  "Shamus  O'Brien"  at  a  bene- 
fit performance.  Charlotte  Crampton  was  at- 
tracted by  his  personality  and  earnestness,  and 
intrusted  to  him  the  role  of  Buckingham  in  a 
performance  that  she  was  about  to  give  of 
"Richard  III."  This  performance  took  place  at 
the  Academy  of  Music,  Cleveland,  Ohio,  in 
1873,  and  was  his  first  professional  appearance. 
Mr.  Haworth  has  been  in  the  support  of  many 
noted  stars.  He  played  Romeo  to  Mary  Ander- 
son's Juliet,  and  was  with  John  McCullough 
when  that  gentleman's  breakdown  occurred. 
When  Mr.  McCullough  was  stricken  he  fell  into 
Mr.  Haworth's  arms,  and  was  borne  by  him 
from  the  stage.  He  was  also  at  various  times 
leading  man  for  Clara  Morris,  Margaret  Mather 
and  Julia  Marlowe.  Mr.  Haworth  was  found 
dead  in  bed  at  a  hotel  at  Willoughby,  Ohio, 
August  28,  1903. 

Margaret  Mather  made  her  last  appearance  on 
the  stage  at  the  Burlew  Opera  House,  Charles- 
ton, W.    Va.,    April   7,    1898,    as   Imogen  in 


244  Driftwood  of  the  Sta^c. 

"Cymbeline."  Miss  Mather  made  her  stellar 
debut  at  McVicker's  Theater,  Chicago,  August 
28,  1882,  as  Juliet.  Her  first  appearance  at  New 
York  was  in  the  same  character,  and  took  place 
at  the  Union  Square  Theater,  October  13,  1885. 
Miss  Mather  died  at  Charleston,  W.  Va.,  April 
7,  1898,  shortly  after  she  had  finished  her  per- 
formance. They  brought  her  to  Detroit,  Mich., 
to  be  buried  beside  her  mother.  Arrayed  in  the 
robes  she  had  so  often  worn  as  Juliet,  she  was 
laid  in  state,  and  her  face  was  gazed  upon  by 
thousands.  It  was  on  an  Easter  Sunday  that 
she  was  laid  in  her  grave. 

Sol  Smith  Russell  made  his  last  appearance 
on  the  stage  at  the  Grand  Opera  House,  Chi- 
cago, December  18,  1899.  *'The  Hon.  'John 
Grigsby"  was  the  play,  and  during  its  perform- 
ance Mr.  Russell  broke  down,  and  after  which 
he  was  never  able  to  appear  again.  His  first 
appearance  on  the  stage  was  at  the  Defiance 
Theater,  Cairo,  111.,  in  1862,  where  he  sang  be- 
tween the  acts  and  played  the  drum  in  the  or- 
chestra. The  first  part  he  acted  was  a  negro 
girl  in  "The  Hidden  Hand." 

Later  he  joined  the  Berger  Family  of  bell 
ringers,  and  made  a  tour  eastward  with  them. 
His  comedy  work  gained  such  notice  that  he 


Driftwood  of  the  Staf^c.  245 

branched  out  for  himself  as  a  humorous  lec- 
turer. His  success  here  brought  him  an  engage- 
ment, in  1867,  with  the  stock  company  at  the 
Chestnut  Street  Theater,  Philadelphia,  under 
Colonel  William  E.  Sinn's  management.  More 
tours  in  monologue  followed,  and  then  his  first 
New  York  engagement,  at  Lina  Edwin's  Thea- 
ter, in  1 87 1.  Augustin  Daly  engaged  him  in 
1874,  and  on  August  24  of  that  year  he  made 
his  debut  with  the  Daly  Stock  Company  at  the 
Fifth  Avenue  Theater  as  Mr.  Peabody  in  "What 
Could  She  Do  ?  or  Jealousy."  He  left  the  com- 
pany the  next  season,  but  rejoined  it  in  1876. 
While  under  Mr.  Daly's  management  he  played 
many  comedy  roles  with  success. 

In  1880  Mr.  Russell  made  his  debut  as  a 
star,  appearing  in  *' Edge  wood  Folks,"  a  comedy 
written  especially  to  suit  him.  Though  his  own 
work  was  admirable  and  his  company  excellent, 
the  first  season's  tour  was  a  failure  pecuniarily. 
The  following  season  the  tide  turned,  and  for 
the  next  four  years  Mr.  Russell  toured  pros- 
perously in  ''Edgewood  Folks,"  and  became 
firmly  established  as  a  star.  For  one  season 
thereafter  he  was  the  comedian  at  the  Boston 
Museum.  Then  he  resumed  starring,  playing 
in  three  seasons  "Felix  McKusick"  and  "Be- 


246  Driftzuood  of  the  Sta^e. 

witched."  Then  came  ''A  Poor  Relation"  in 
1889-1890;  "The  Tale  of  a  Coat,"  produced 
at  Daly's  Theater  in  1890,  and  later,  "Peaceful 
Valley,"  "April  Weather,"  a  revival  of  "The 
Heir  at  Law,"  and  "A  Bachelor's  Romance." 

At  the  death  of  Mr.  Russell  the  stage  lost  one 
of  its  quaintest  and  most  lovable  characters.  His 
odd,  unctuous  performances  will  never  be  for- 
gotten by  those  who  saw  him.  His  wealth  of 
dry  humor  was  equaled  by  his  supply  of  ten- 
derness and  pathos.  Throughout  the  west  and 
south  Mr.  Russell  enjoyed  his  greatest  popu- 
larity, and  there  no  actor  held  a  warmer  place 
in  the  affections  of  the  public.  Mr.  Russell  died 
at  Washington,  D.  C,  April  28,  1902. 

Stuart  Robson's  last  appearance  on  the  stage 
was  at  the  Burtis  Opera  House,  Auburn,  N.  Y., 
April  25,  1903,  as  the  Dromio  of  Syracuse,  in 
"A  Comedy  of  Errors."  Few  actors  had  a 
more  interesting  career  or  were  better  and  more 
favorably  known  to  the  theater-going  public  than 
Stuart  Robson.  Born  at  Annapolis,  Md.,  March 
4,  1836,  he  at  an  early  age  manifested  an  apti- 
tude for  the  stage,  and  when  a  mere  youth,  in 
company  with  Edwin  Booth  and  John  Sleeper 
Clarke,  who  later  married  a  sister  of  Mr.  Booth, 
he  took  part  in  amateur  productions   at    Balti- 


Driftwood  of  the  Sta^e.  247 

more,  the  performances  often  being  held  in  a 
barn  or  some  other  place  equally  devoid  of 
proper  accessories. 

His  first  professional  appearance  was  on  the 
stage  of  the  Baltimore  Museum,  January  5, 
1852,  since  which  time  he  had  been  actively 
identified  with  the  theatrical  profession.  One  of 
his  earliest  successes  was  as  Captain  Crosstree 
in  a  burlesque  entitled  ^'Black-Eyed  Susan,"  in 
1870.  For  several  years  prior  to  forming  a 
partnership  with  William  H.  Crane,  he  was 
connected  with  stock  companies,  playing  in 
various  parts  of  the  country.  His  first  work 
with  Mr.  Crane  was  in  "Our  Boarding  House," 
by  Leonard  Grover.  "The  Henrietta,"  Bronson 
Howard's  famous  work,  was  another  monu- 
mental example  of  the  ability  of  these  two  men, 
and  for  his  clever  work  in  that  production  Mr. 
Robson  will  probably  be  best  remembered  always 
as  Bertie,  the  Lamb. 

One  of  the  notable  achievements  of  his  long 
career  was  the  magnificent  revival  of  "A 
Comedy  of  Errors/'  in  which  both  he  and  Mr. 
Crane  were  eminently  successful.  "The  Merry 
Wives  of  Windsor"  also  formed  another  link  in 
the  chain  of  successes  which  attended  the  efforts 
of  these  two  comedians.  Mr.  Robson  died  at 
New  York,  April  29,  1903. 


248  Driftwood  of  the  Stage. 


OLD-TIME  MINSTRELS. 


Where  are  those  good  old  minstrel  troupes 
that  used  to  fill  our  opera  houses  with  music, 
mirth  and  song?  Where  have  those  good  old 
singers  gone,  with  their  voices  sweet  and  pure, 
and  whose  songs  touched  the  hearts  of  the 
audience?  Where  are  those  two  good  old  end 
men,  with  their  snow-white  vests  and  mouth 
that  stretched  from  ear  to  ear,  whose  songs  and 
comic  ditties  brought  the  house  down  with  a 
roar? 

Minstrelsy  at  one  time  was  our  most  popular 
style  of  stage  entertainment,  and  almost  every 
city  of  importance  had  its  permanent  minstrel 
halls,  which  were  generally  filled  to  their  ca- 
pacity. At  one  time  in  New  York  there  were 
Hooley  and  Campbell's  Minstrels  on  the  Bowery, 
and  Bryant's,  White,  Cotton  and  Sharpley's,  the 
San  Francisco  and  Kelly  and  Leon's  Minstrels, 
all  had  permanent  homes  on  Broadway  within 
a  few  blocks  of  one  another.  Hooley's  Minstrels 
had  a  permanent  organization  in  Brooklyn  for 
many  years. 


Driftwood  of  the  Stag^e.  249 

The  style  of  minstrel  entertainment  has 
changed  somewhat  from  the  old-time  minstrel 
show.  It  used  to  be  that  when  the  curtain  rose 
you  would  see  from  fifteen  to  twenty  men  seated 
in  a  semi-circle  on  the  stage,  with  two  end  men, 
and  all  in  evening  dress.  Sweet  singing  and 
clean  humor  was  given  for  about  forty  minutes, 
and  then  for  the  olio,  which  consisted  of  a  fe- 
male impersonator,  clog  or  jig  dancing,  a  sketch, 
a  banjo  player,  a  quartette  of  singers,  or  per- 
haps of  brass,  a  song  and  dance  team,  and  close 
the  performance  with  a  burlesque  opera  or  a 
walk-around.  No  elevated  stage,  no  spectacu- 
lar equipment,  no  Shakespearean  first  part,  no 
bicycle  riders,  no  acrobats  or  horizontal  bars. 

The  introduction  of  the  negro  as  a  stage  per- 
son was  caused  by  the  demand  for  a  novelty  in 
this  wise,  and  the  individual  acts  of  T.  D.  Rice 
and  others  had  become  famous  through  the  op- 
portunities offered  them  for  a  hearing  while  the 
stage  was  being  prepared  for  a  change.  But 
there  had  never  been  a  double  act  produced  in 
this  manner,  nor  had  there  been  offered  any  per- 
formance by  more  than  one  person  with  a  coun- 
terfeit presentment  of  burnt  cork.  Dan  Emmett 
had  appeared  as  a  colored  fiddler,  Billy  Whit- 
lock  as  a  negro  ban  joist,  and  Frank  Brower  had 


250  Driftwood  of  the  Sta^e. 

rattled  the  bones  in  black  face.  Dick  Pelham, 
another  negro  impersonator,  was  famous  for 
juggling  the  tambourine  to  music. 

American  minstrelsy  was  born  at  37  Catherine 
Street,  New  York.  The  spot  is  sacred  ground 
to  a  few  veterans  of  the  profession,  who  have 
made  names  for  themselves  in  the  strictly  legiti- 
mate line  of  dramatic  art,  for  the  best  known 
theatrical  boarding  house  of  the  forties  was  lo- 
cated there. 

The  place  was  kept  by  Mrs.  Elizabeth  Brooks, 
who,  according  to  tradition,  was  a  mother  to 
those  who  sought  a  home  at  her  house.  There 
was  no  theater  above  Canal  Street  then,  and 
the  professional  colony  was  so  small  that  every 
actor,  singer,  or  person  connected  with  a  theater 
or  place  of  amusement  was  on  speaking  terms 
with  the  others. 

Dan  Emmett  was  a  popular  member  of  Mrs. 
Brooks'  household.  One  day  in  1842  Billy 
Whitlock,  another  boarder,  was  aiding  him  to 
rehearse  a  new  negro  melody,  Emmett  playing 
his  fiddle  and  Whitlock  accompanying  him  on 
the  banjo.  Brower  dropped  in  on  his  way  to 
the  theater  and  joined  them  with  the  bones, 
Pelham  calling  later  with  his  tambourine.  For 
the  first  time  the  quartette  played  together,  and 


Driftwood  of  the  Sta^e.  251 

the  effect  was  so  striking  and  musical  that  some 
one  who  heard  the  rehearsal  suggested  that  the 
four  men  play  in  public  as  a  quartette. 

The  Virginia  Minstrels,  now  indelibly  re- 
corded in  the  history  of  the  American  stage,  was 
formed  that  day.  It  was  arranged  that  the  four 
men  were  to  test  the  departure  before  the  public 
of  New  York,  but  an  unsurmountable  obstacle 
was  encountered.  No  manager  could  be  found 
who  would  give  the  new  organization  an  oppor- 
tunity to  appear  on  the  regular  boards. 

The  great  resort  for  the  rank  and  file  of  the 
profession  in  the  fifth  decade  of  the  century  was 
a  hotel  kept  at  36  Bowery,  by  Jonas  Bartlett. 
There  the  circus  performers  lived  during  their 
visits  to  New  York  to  appear  in  the  single  ring 
arenas  of  the  circuses  of  that  time.  Much  sym- 
pathy was  extended  to  the  Virginia  Minstrels, 
and  Uncle  Jonas,  as  he  was  called,  offered  the 
use  of  his  dining-room  to  the  newly  formed  ag- 
gregation. A  stage  was  improvised  in  the 
billiard  room,  and  the  first  performance  created 
a  sensation.  The  ready  wit  of  the  minstrels  and 
their  topical  conversation  caught  the  town,  and 
in  a  few  days  they  were  installed  for  a  season 
in  old  Library  Hall  at  that  city. 

So,  from  the  four  men  who  accidentally  met 


252  Driftzvood  of  the  Stage. 

in  Mrs.  Brooks'  boarding  house  in  1842,  in 
primitive  fashion,  thousands  have  since  enter- 
tained the  people  of  every  land  and  race  and 
created  melodies  which  have  brought  sweet 
memories  of  childhood  to  generations  of  men. 
While  it  had  its  origin  and  introduction  with 
the  rough  furniture  of  a  Bowery  billiard  hall 
for  a  stage  setting,  the  quaint  music  of  the  sons 
of  Ham  is  now  produced  by  a  complete  operatic 
orchestra  and  with  a  scenic  picture  which  costs 
thousands  of  dollars  for  the  opening  part. 

The  greatest  minstrel  organization  ever 
known  was  the  San  Francisco  Minstrels.  Every 
old  performer  and  theatergoer  will  grow  remin- 
iscent at  the  mention  of  Birch,  Wambold,  Ber- 
nard and  Backus.  It  was  indeed  a  rare  com- 
bination. There  seemed  to  be  a  bond  of 
sympathy  between  those  men,  and  they  worked 
together  so  harmoniously  on  the  stage  that  the 
people  in  the  audience  were  affected  by  it.  They 
used  to  take  their  audiences  into  their  confidence 
and  make  it  a  sort  of  family  circle  affair,  and 
they  would  spring  impromptu  gags  on  one  an- 
other about  things  that  had  happened  during 
the  day.  Birch  and  Backus  were  the  end  men. 
Backus  had  a  large  mouth  and  depended  a  great 
deal  on  boisterous   methods,   while   Birch,  who 


Driftwood  of  the  Sta^e.  253 

exhibited  a  row  of  ivories  in  black  face,  talked 
to  the  interlocutor  in  a  quiet,  colloquial  way. 
Bernard  was  the  interlocutor,  and  he  was  one 
of  the  few  middle  men  that  have  been  an  abso- 
lute attraction  in  themselves.  Wambold  was 
the  greatest  tenor  that  ever  put  on  burnt  cork. 
Had  his  voice  received  the  proper  cultivation 
he  would  have  been  one  of  the  greatest  singers 
that  ever  lived.  Bernard  retired  from  the  busi- 
ness before  the  San  Francisco  Minstrels  became 
a  thing  of  the  past.  Backus  and  Wambold  died 
well  ofif,  while  poor  old  Birch  died  in  poverty. 
They  made  the  world  happier  and  brighter  by 
their  presence,  and  when  they  died  they  left  no 
successors. 

Kelly  and  Leon's  Minstrels  was  also  a  popu- 
lar organization  in  days  gone  by.  They  took 
the  building  at  720  Broadway,  New  York, 
which  had  been  formerly  known  as  Hope 
Chapel,  and  converted  it  into  a  cosy  minstrel  hall. 
The  house  was  opened  October  i,  1866.  There 
were  seventeen  in  the  first  part.  Frank  Moran 
was  on  the  bone  end,  Johnny  Allen,  tambourine, 
and  Edwin  Kelly,  interlocutor.  Delehanty  and 
Hengler  made  their  first  New  York  appearance 
at  this  house,  August  12,  1867. 

On  December  11,  1867,  a  professional  mati- 


254  Driftwood  of  the  Stage. 

nee  was  given  at  the  Fifth  Avenue  Opera  House, 
then  at  Broadv^ay  and  Twenty-fourth  Street, 
New  York,  which  was  largely  attended.  Sam 
Sharpley,  who  was  then  conducting  a  minstrel 
hall  at  514  Broadway,  and  Mr.  Leon  got  into 
an  argument  in  front  of  the  house  after  the  per- 
formance, Sharpley  claiming  that  Delehanty  and 
Hengler,  who  were  billed  to  appear  at  Kelly  and 
Leon's,  were  under  contract  to  him.  Hot  words 
passed  and  blows  were  struck.  Friends  of  both 
parties  interfered,  and  a  few  minutes  later  Tom 
Sharpe,  a  brother  of  Sam  Sharpley,  lay  dead 
on  the  sidewalk,  from  shots  fired  by  Edwin 
Kelly,  and  Sam  Sharpley  had  shot  Kelly  in  the 
head,  severely  wounding  him.  The  house  was 
then  closed  and  remained  so  until  December  17. 
Mr.  Kelly  was  later  placed  on  trial  for  murder 
and  acquitted. 

Both  Kelly  and  Leon  made  their  reappearance 
the  following  year,  but  business  began  to  de- 
cline and  they  soon  after  gave  up  the  house. 
Several  others  tried  to  keep  the  place  open  but 
without  success.  On  November  25,  1872,  Kelly 
and  Leon  again  took  possession,  and  three  days 
later  the  building  was  destroyed  by  fire.  The 
theater  was  not  rebuilt,  and  Kelly  and  Leon's 
Minstrels  soon  after  passed  into  history. 


Driftwood  of  the  Stage.  255 

There  are  striking  comparisons  between  the 
present  and  past  methods  of  minstrel  entertain- 
ment. Public  taste  in  any  country  is  liable  to 
change,  but  in  the  United  States  it  is  especially 
capricious,  and  in  no  activity  of  life,  perhaps 
is  this  fact  more  noticeable  than  on  the  stage. 
The  forms  of  entertainment  that  amused  the 
public  and  paid  the  managers  years  ago  are 
largely  obsolete  to-day.  To  the  cultured  mind 
the  bills  now  no  doubt  read  better,  and  the  per- 
formances are  more  refined,  but  for  real,  unadul- 
terated fun  the  past  and  the  present  in  this  rela- 
tion are  not  to  be  compared.  Nowadays  who 
ever  hears  of  a  song  and  dance  team?  When 
the  old  song  and  dance  performers  died,  and 
few  of  them  are  on  this  side  of  the  final  curtain, 
their  line  of  business  like  that  of  the  minstrel 
generally,  seemed  to  go  out  of  date. 

Mclntyre  and  Heath  of  the  old  ones  are  really 
about  the  only  team  which  started  in  as  black 
face  song  and  dance  men  who  maintained  their 
reputation  and  continued  popular.  For  thirty 
years  they  retained  their  popularity  because  they 
dropped  the  song  and  dance  form  of  perform- 
ance and  appeared  in  short  sketches,  which  gave 
their  original  fun-making  propensities  a  more 
attractive  foundation.    Tom  Lewis  and  Sam  J. 


256  Driftwood  of  the  Sta^e. 

Ryan  for  a  number  of  years  presented  the  old- 
time  minstrel  acts  on  the  vaudeville  stage  and 
were  always  well  received. 

The  minstrel  business  has  been  gradually  de- 
clining, and  sooner  or  later  that  phase  of  stage 
entertainment  will  be  abandoned,  for  a  time  at 
least.  Then  it  will  probably  be  revived,  and 
we  may  get  a  taste  of  the  good  old-time  min- 
strelsy, and  the  plantation  melodies  that  were 
once  so  popular.  Many  of  the  monologists  and 
other  vaudeville  performers  are  recruited  from 
the  minstrel  ranks.  The  jokes  are  of  a  better 
order  than  in  former  days,  and  there  is  less  illit- 
eracy among  performers.  Nowadays  a  man 
must  keep  abreast  of  the  times,  be  in  touch  with 
current  events,  and  give  the  public  timely  stuff. 

It  was  a  long  time  ago  that  Emerson,  Allen 
and  Manning's  Minstrels  were  organized  and 
toured  the  country.  Billy  Emerson,  Johnny 
Allen  and  Billy  Manning  were  known  as  fine 
performers  in  their  time,  and  now  all  of  them 
have  passed  away.  Their  company  was  a  suc- 
cess from  the  start.  It  was  not  long,  however, 
before  Mr.  Allen  drew  out  of  the  organization 
and  became  a  German  comedian.  He  had  a 
play  called  ''Schneider,  or  the  House  on  the 
Rhine,"  written  for  him,  and  after  a  long  and 


Robert  Edeson. 


Driftwood  of  the  Stage.  257 

successful  run  at  the  Olympic  Theater,  New 
York,  took  the  play  on  the  road,  where  it  was 
everywhere  greeted  with  crowded  houses.  He 
was  always  surrounded  with  a  good  company, 
among  whom  were  Alice  Harrison,  Little  Mac, 
George  H.  Maxwell,  Sid  C.  France,  and  others 
of  equal  prominence. 

Emerson  and  Manning  continued  the  com- 
pany for  some  time,  when  differences  arose  as 
to  policy  and  they  separated.  Emerson  was  a 
favorite  in  the  cities,  and  had  no  trouble  filling 
his  time  in  the  week  stands,  while  Manning  took 
to  the  one-night  stands,  where  the  most  of  his 
popularity  had  been  gained.  The  company 
headed  by  Emerson  was  known  as  the  "Big 
Sunflower  Minstrels."  The  members  wore 
flashy  clothes,  and  on  the  street  were  generally 
attired  in  black  velvet  sack  coats  bound  with 
wide  black  braid,  loud  check  trousers  cut  spring 
bottom.  Custom  at  that  time  allowed  a  tall  silk 
hat  to  be  worn  with  this  style  of  dress.  Dia- 
monds were  large  and  plentiful,  and  in  addition 
every  member  carried  a  gold-headed  cane  at  all 
times.  By  the  profession  this  troupe  was  gen- 
erally referred  to  as  the  "Gold-headed  Cane 
Minstrels."  Emerson  prospered.  Manning  did 
not. 

17 


258  Driftwood  of  the  Stage. 

One  Sunday  evening  at  Cincinnati,  where  the 
Emerson  company  had  played  a  big  week  at  the 
Grand  Opera  House,  the  members  were  gathered 
at  a  well  known  resort  drinking  beer,  listening 
to  the  music  and  telling  stories.  The  Manning 
company  was  to  open  the  next  night  at  Coving- 
ton, over  the  river  on  the  Kentucky  side,  and 
its  members  all  came  over  to  Cincinnati  to  spend 
the  evening.  Manning  strolled  up  Vine  Street 
with  no  particular  destination  in  view,  and  hap- 
pened to  look  into  the  resort  where  the  Emerson 
party  were  enjoying  themselves,  when  one  of 
the  number  called  out  "Hello,  Bill."  Emerson 
turned  his  head  and  there  stood  his  old  partner, 
pale,  emaciated  and  shabbily  dressed.  They  had 
not  spoken  to  each  other  for  a  long  time,  but 
when  their  eyes  met  past  differences  were  for- 
gotten, and  Emerson  started  for  the  door  and 
soon  had  his  arms  around  his  old  friend,  and 
led  him  to  the  table,  where  a  seat  was  prepared 
for  him.  The  pleasure  of  the  reunion  as  well 
as  the  attentions  shown  him  deeply  affected 
Manning,  and  he  took  but  little  part  in  the  fes- 
tivities. 

The  party  had  several  tables  put  together 
around  which  they  were  assembled,  and  when  it 
came  a  person's  turn  to  treat  he  would  rap  on 


Driftwood  of  the  Sta^e.  259 

the  table  with  his  cane,  and  at  times  raise  its 
gold  top  in  the  air  to  summon  the  waiter  as  well 
as  to  call  attention  to  the  cane.  The  turn  to 
treat  soon  came  round  to  Manning.  The  gen- 
tleman next  to  him  had  ordered  the  previous 
round  for  the  party,  calling  the  waiter  by  rapping 
on  the  table  with  his  cane  as  the  others  had  done 
before  him.  There  sat  Manning  without  a  cent 
in  his  pocket,  a  smile  showing  through  the  ashen 
pallor  of  his  face.  His  ready  wit  had  not  de- 
serted him,  for  he  looked  up  at  Emerson  and 
said :  "Say,  Bill,  you  rap  for  me.  I  haven't  any 
cane." 


26o  Driftwood  of  the  Stage. 


A  BIT  OF  HISTORY. 


It  was  in  the  latter  part  of  the  fifties  that  the 
music  hall  business  broke  out  in  New  York. 
Wood's  Minstrels  at  that  time  occupied  a  small 
theater  at  444  Broadway,  which  was  first  opened 
as  a  minstrel  hall  by  Henry  Wood  in  opposition 
to  the  Christy  Minstrels,  then  located  at  472 
Broadway.  Mr.  Wood  was  very  successful, 
especially  as  he  secured  George  Christy,  who, 
leaving  E.  P.  Christy,  took  the  bone  end  of 
Wood's  troupe,  with  Jim  Budworth  on  the  tam- 
bourine end.  The  company  being  a  strong 
one  soon  carried  the  town,  and  the  original 
Christy  giving  up  the  business,  they  had  the 
minstrel  field  practically  to  themselves.  After 
remaining  at  that  house  for  two  or  three  years, 
Mr.  Wood  moved  his  company  to  a  new  and 
larger  hall  on  the  west  side  of  Broadway,  near 
Prince  Street,  which  became  known  as  Wood's 
Marble  Hall. 

Robert  W.  Butler  soon  after  took  possession 
of  the  hall  at  "444,"  and  opened  the  first  variety 
theater  in  the  city.    Specialties  were  few  at  that 


Driftwood  of  the  Stage.  261 

time  but  a  strong  company  was  secured.  Tony 
Pastor,  who  had  been  a  circus  clown  up  to  this 
time,  later  joined  the  company,  and  became 
famous  as  a  comic  singer. 

This  theater  was  a  long,  narrow  hall  with  a 
low  ceiling.  Smoking  was  allowed,  and  when 
the  little  red  curtain  was  raised  a  bill  was  pre- 
sented that  included  three  or  four  negro  acts, 
banjo  playing,  clog  dancing,  comic  singing,  a 
ballet,  a  fancy  dance  or  two,  and  a  pantomime. 
This  was  the  vaudeville  show  of  that  day. 

In  the  summer  of  1865,  Mr.  Pastor  secured 
the  theater  at  201  Bowery,  formerly  occupied  by 
Hooley  and  Campbell's  Minstrels.  This  was  a 
neat  little  place.  No  smoking  was  allowed  and 
it  soon  became  the  leading  variety  theater.  Many 
members  of  the  opening  company  had  come  from 
"444"  with  Tony,  and  for  the  first  season  there 
was  little  change  in  the  style  of  entertainment. 
The  next  year  it  was  different,  and  novelties 
were  sought  for,  some  being  brought  from 
across  the  water.  Among  the  first  specialists  at 
this  house  was  Walter  Brown,  the  champion 
oarsman,  who  swung  Indian  clubs.  They  were 
called  Kehoe  clubs  in  those  days  because  they 
were  made  by  a  man  named  Sim  Kehoe.  They 
were  cumbersome  things  and  generally  used  at 
athletic  exhibitions. 


262  Driftwood  of  the  Sta^e. 

Nellie  Clark  was  the  first  lady  club  swinger 
and  DeWitt  Cooke  the  first  to  do  a  juggling 
act  with  them.  Harry  Gurr,  the  first  man-fish, 
performed  under  water  in  a  large  glass  tank, 
and  Millie  Tournor  was  the  first  lady  to  do  the 
flying  trapeze.  Naomi  Porter  was  the  first  lady 
jig  dancer,  and  Jennie  Benson  the  first  lady  to 
do  a  clog.  The  first  female  double  song  and 
dance  was  done  by  Addie  LeBrun  and  Helena 
Smith.  The  first  magician  on  the  vaudeville 
stage  was  Prof.  Robert  Nickle,  and  Herr  Hol- 
tum  was  the  first  to  come  along  with  a  cannon 
ball  act.  A  couple  of  new  acts  from  Europe 
were  Leggett  and  Allen  in  a  pedestal  clog  dance, 
and  James  McDonald,  who  danced  on  a  high 
pedestal  with  a  pair  of  skates. 

Will  Carleton,  a  famous  Irish  singer  and 
dancer,  was  brought  from  Europe  about  this 
time  and  made  an  instantaneous  hit.  Then  the 
sketch  teams  sprang  up.  John  and  Maggie 
Fielding  introduced  their  Irish  sketch,  "Barney's 
Courtship,"  in  1868,  and  Baker  and  Farron  a 
German  sketch  called  "Schneider's  Courtship," 
about  the  same  time.  Bowman  and  Harris  made 
their  first  New  York  appearance  in  their  unique 
black  face  specialty  during  the  same  season,  and 
Mile.  Louise,  the  first  lady  drummer  in  vaude- 
ville, appeared  on  the  same  bill. 


Driftwood  of  the  Sta^e.  263 

At  one  time  Mr.  Pastor  engaged  a  pedestrian 
called  Young  Miles  to  do  a  walking  act  on  his 
stage.  A  timekeeper  was  selected  from  the  aud- 
ience, the  stage  manager  would  tell  how  many 
laps  there  were  to  the  mile,  and  away  he  would 
go  around  the  stage.  The  mile  was  generally 
made  in  eight  minutes.  Would  they  tolerate 
anything  like  that  now? 

Johnny  Thompson  is  the  oldest  of  the  musi- 
cal artists  on  the  stage.  He  played  on  a  number 
of  musical  instruments  in  a  specialty  called 
"The  Lively  Moke,"  as  far  back  as  1864. 
Master  Allie  Turner,  the  infant  drummer,  did 
a  drum  solo  at  Barnum's  Museum  a  year  later. 
W.  B.  Harrison  sang  extemporaneous  songs, 
accompanying  himself  on  the  violin.  Matt 
O' Rear  don  introduced  the  musical  glasses  to 
the  stage,  and  E.  C.  Dunbar  an  instrument 
called  the  Musette.  Conway  and  Kerrigan  had 
an  act  where  one  played  the  bagpipes  while  the 
other  danced.  The  first  cornet  player  of  note 
to  do  a  solo  on  the  stage  was  Jules  Levy,  who 
played  in  the  olio  with  Allen,  Pettingill,  Dele- 
hanty  and  Hengler's  Minstrels  many  years  ago. 

Mortimer  Williams  had  a  specialty  that  was 
called  "Half  Bushel  Measure  Jig,"  which  was 
danced  on  the  inside,  outside,  and  all  over  a 


264  Driftwood  of  the  Stag^e. 

half  bushel  measure,  and  Signer  Bueno  Core,  a 
fire  king,  finished  his  act  by  heating  an  iron 
plate  red  hot  in  the  presence  of  the  audience, 
and  dancing  upon  it  with  his  bare  feet.  The 
Hanlon  Brothers  were  the  first  to  introduce  the 
bicycle,  then  called  velocipede,  to  the  stage,  and 
Alice  Harrison  the  first  lady  to  ride  a  bicycle 
on  the  stage. 

Marietta  Ravel  danced  on  a  tightrope  at  the 
Canterbury  Varieties,  New  York,  in  i860,  and 
a  couple  of  years  later  El  Nino  Eddie,  a  very 
small  boy,  did  an  act  of  this  kind.  Alfred  Moe 
was  the  first  to  do  a  roller  skating  act  on  the 
stage.  Later  he  took  a  partner  named  Good- 
rich and  they  did  a  double  skating  act.  Carrie 
Moore  was  the  first  female  skater  on  the  stage. 
Charles  E.  Collins,  a  comic  vocalist  and  dancer, 
came  over  from  England  in  1863,  and  became 
a  great  attraction  in  a  vocal  dancing  act  which 
he  called  "The  Cure."  Prof.  Hilton  was  the 
first  ventriloquist  in  vaudeville. 

Billy  Courtwright  and  J.  W.  McAndrews 
each  made  a  phenomenal  hit  in  one  character. 
In  the  knock-about,  jump-about,  hammer  the 
floor  exhibition  during  which  he  sang  "Flewy, 
Flewy,"  Courtwright  was  for  years  a  star  at- 
traction among  variety  theatergoers.     A  valise 


Driftwood  of  the  Stage.  265 

and  an  umbrella  were  part  and  parcel  of  the 
performance.  He  created  a  great  deal  of  fun 
for  many  years  by  this  one  performance,  but 
after  a  while,  like  most  of  the  old  one-part  per- 
formers, really  outlived  his  power  to  amuse. 
J.  W.  McAndrews,  the  "Watermelon  Man," 
confessed  long  before  he  died  that  he  could  only 
do  this  one  turn,  and  for  years  nobody  wanted 
to  see  him  in  anything  else. 

Bobby  Newcomb,  by  long  odds  the  most 
graceful  and  pleasing  single  song  and  dance 
performer — this  is  admitted  by  theater  people 
to-day — w^ho  ever  appeared  on  the  variety 
stage,  was  a  prime  favorite  up  to  his  death. 
"Love  Letters"  was  perhaps  his  most  popular 
song  and  dance.  He  was  not  old  at  his  death, 
yet  he  had  been  before  the  public  for  a  quarter 
of  a  century.  He  was  adopted  when  quite 
young  by  Billy  Newcomb,  the  once  famous 
minstrel  and  took  his  name.  A  team  of  song 
and  dance  men,  who  are  now  well  nigh  for- 
gotten, but  who  will  be  readily  recalled  by  the- 
atergoers of  less  than  a  quarter  of  a  century 
ago,  as  top  liners  among  the  black  face  knock- 
abouts of  the  variety  stage  were  Lester  and 
Allen.  They  were  easily  the  best  in  this  line 
among  their  contemporaries,  and  were  prime 


266  Driftwood  of  the  Sta^e. 

favorites.  They  will  be  recalled  as  two  of  the 
original  Big  Four,  their  partners  at  one  time 
in  this  aggregation  being  Smith  and  Waldron. 

Another  team  of  the  song  and  dance  variety, 
but  of  slightly  more  refined  characteristics, 
and  in  white  faces  instead  of  black,  was  Sheri- 
dan and  Mack.  They  appeared  in  German 
specialties  largely,  and  in  their  day  were  con- 
sidered the  best  in  their  line.  They  were  the 
originators  of  their  line.  Charley  Diamond,  the 
Milanese  minstrel,  a  graceful  dancer  and  a 
rather  sweet  singer,  was  likewise  a  one-part 
performer,  but  he  was  a  popular  attraction,  and 
was  rated  among  the  high-priced  variety  people. 
He  sang  and  danced  to  a  harp  accompaniment, 
carrying  the  harp  strung  on  his  shoulders.  He, 
too,  was  original  in  his  line,  and  it  is  not  re- 
called that  he  ever  had  a  direct  imitator. 

Many  claim  the  distinction  of  being  the  first 
to  do  a  monologue,  and  it  would  be  hard  in- 
deed to  give  an  opinion  as  to  who  was  the 
originator  of  this  specialty.  Archie  Hughes 
used  to  do  a  specialty  in  the  latter  part  of  the 
sixties  in  which  he  would  tell  gags  between 
the  verses  of  a  song  called  "George,  the 
Charmer." 

A  young  fellow  once  claimed  that  he  was 


Driftwood  of  the  Sta^e.  267 

the  first  to  do  a  cakewalk  on  the  stage.  He 
did  not  seem  to  know  that  Edward  Harrigan 
wrote  a  song,  "Walking  for  Dat  Cake,"  which 
included  some  fancy  promenade  steps  by  the 
participants,  in  the  early  seventies.  The  first 
tramp  in  vaudeville  was  Johnny  Wild  in  a 
sketch  called  "A  Terrible  Example,"  about  the 
same  time.  William  Horace  Lingard  was  the 
first  to  do  a  quick  change  act  in  this  country, 
and  Annie  Hindle  was  the  first  male  imperson- 
ator. Major  John  E.  Burk  introduced  us  to 
the  fancy  zouave  drill,  and  Johnny  Williams 
gave  us  the  first  glimpse  of  good  dancing  with 
his  Lancashire  clog.  Tom  Bollas  was  about 
the  first  German  singing  comedian,  and  Nick 
Norton  and  Billy  Emmett  were  the  first  Ger- 
man team,  working  together  at  Buffalo,  N.  Y., 
in  1864. 

The  Olympia  Quartet  (Keough,  Randall,  Sul- 
livan and  Mack),  started  out  together  in  1877, 
but  were  not  the  first.  Before  them  were  the 
"Ham-Town  Students"  and  the  "Four  Pro- 
phets," who  sang  negro  jubilee  songs. 

The  first  pugilist  on  the  vaudeville  stage  was 
Sam  Collyer.  As  to  this  gentleman's  versa- 
tility, it  need  only  be  said  that  on  one  bill  at 
Pastor's  on  the  Bowery  he  did  a    triple    clog 


26^  Driftwood  of  the  Sta^e. 

dance  with  his  two  *'sons,"  played  the  banjo 
in  a  sketch  called  "The  Challenge  Dance,"  and 
closed  the  show  with  a  drama  called  "Dan  Don- 
nelly, the  Champion  of  Ireland,"  in  which  he 
played  the  title  role  and  gave  a  boxing  exhibi- 
tion with  Barney  Aaron.  At  other  times,  he 
played  the  aged  darkey  in  "Uncle  Eph's 
Dream,"  and  occasionally  would  give  a  fine  ex- 
hibition of  club  swinging. 

There  used  to  be  a  lot  of  good  acts  on  the 
stage  that  we  do  not  see  any  more.  There  was 
King  Sarbro  with  his  slide  for  life ;  Link  Look, 
fire  eater  and  sword  swallower;  A.  W.  Maflin, 
the  spade  dancer;  Crossley  and  Elder  in  their 
Caledonian  sports,  and  Harry  Leslie,  the  tight 
rope  walker,  who  carried  a  man  on  his  back 
from  the  stage  to  the  upper  gallery.  Yank 
Adams  had  a  billiard  table  on  the  stage,  and 
made  all  kinds  of  caroms  and  fancy  shots,  using 
his  fingers  instead  of  a  cue  to  propel  the  ball. 

Of  the  old-time  legitimate  actors,  are  best 
remembered  Edwin  Forrest  in  "Metamora" 
and  "Coriolanus,"  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Barney  Wil- 
liams in  "The  Connie  Soogah,"  Frank  S. 
Chanfrau  as  Mose,  John  E.  Owens  as  Solon 
Shingle,  Edwin  Adams  as  Enoch  Arden,  John 
S.  Clarke  as  Toodle,  Frank  Mayo    as    Davy 


Driftwood  of  the  Staf^e.  269 

Crockett,  Charlotte  Cushman  as  Lady  Mac- 
beth, Matilda  Heron  as  Camille,  and  Maggie 
Mitchell  as  Fanchon. 

Some  of  the  grand  performances  given  in 
by-gone  days  were  those  of  "Oliver  Twist," 
for  the  benefit  of  the  Chicago  fire  sufferers  in 
1 87 1,  in  which  Lucille  Western  played  Nancy 
Sykes.  Augustin  Daly  gave  a  grand  produc- 
tion of  this  play  at  the  Fifth  Avenue  Theater, 
New  York,  May  19,  1874,  with  Charles  Fisher 
as  Fagin,  Louis  James  as  Bill  Sykes,  Fanny 
Davenport  as  Nancy,  Bijou  Heron  as  Oliver, 
and  James  Lewis  as  the  Artful  Dodger.  The 
revival  of  "The  Octoroon"  at  Barnum's 
Museum  in  1867,  with  Milnes  Levick,  George 
Brookes  and  Mrs.  J.  J.  Prior  in  the  cast;  J. 
W.  Wallack  in  "The  Bells,"  at  Booth's  Thea- 
ter in  1872,  and  the  benefit  for  the  family  of 
Dan  Bryant  at  the  Academy  of  Music,  New 
York,  April  29,  1875.  At  the  last  named  en- 
tertainment a  chorus  of  minstrel  singers  sang 
"Massa's  in  the  Cold,  Cold,  Ground,"  in  a 
manner  never  to  be  forgotten.  On  that  day 
benefit  performances  were  given  in  ten  different 
theaters  at  New  York,  for  the  widow  and  chil- 
dren of  Mr.  Bryant,  the  receipts  of  which  to- 
gether with  the  donations  amounted  to  over 
$16,000. 


270  Driftwood  of  the  Sta^e. 

P.  T.  Barnum  lost  three  of  his  museums  by 
fire — the  one  on  the  corner  of  Broadway  and 
Ann  Street,  July  13,  1865;  at  Broadway  near 
Spring  Street,  in  March,  1868,  and  on  Four- 
teenth Street,  opposite  Tammany  Hall,  Decem- 
ber 24,  1872.  In  1866  three  theaters  burned 
in  New  York.  The  American  Theater,  better 
known  as  "444,"  on  February  15;  the  Academy 
of  Music,  May  22,  and  the  New  Bowery 
Theater,  December  15.  Niblo's  Garden  was 
destroyed  by  fire  May  7,  1872,  and  Winter 
Garden,  March  23,  1867.  An  attempt  was 
made  to  burn  this  theater  on  November  25, 
1864.  The  Confederate  plot  to  set  fire  to  the 
hotels  and  theaters  of  New  York  was  to  be 
carried  out  that  night,  and  the  Lafarge  House, 
w^hich  adjoined  the  theater,  was  set  on  fire  by 
the  conspirators.  The  house  was  crowded,  the 
three  brothers  Booth — ^Junius  Brutus,  John 
Wilkes  and  Edwin — appearing  in  "Julius 
Caesar,"  for  the  benefit  of  a  fund  to  erect  a 
statue  of  Shakespeare  in  Central  Park.  The 
firmness  and  presence  of  mind  of  the  police 
alone  prevented  a  terrible  loss  of  life.  A  Con- 
federate officer  named  Kennedy  was  arrested  ^ 
for  being  implicated  in  the  plot,  convicted,  and 
hanged  at  Fort  Lafayette  three  months  later. 


Driftwood  of  the  Sta^^e.  271 


THE  "SHAKEDOWN." 


On  the  ledgers  of  most  of  the  amusement 
enterprises  will  be  found  a  curious  item  of  ex- 
pense, which  to  the  profession  is  known  as  a 
"shakedown."  It  is  the  result  of  an  adage  that 
it  is  perfectly  legitimate  to  beat  the  showman. 

Why  is  it  that  lawyers,  business  men  and 
town  officials  who  are  irreproachable  in  their 
conduct  towards  their  fellow  men  during  the 
remainder  of  the  year,  set  their  wits  to  work 
the  minute  a  stand  of  show  bills  goes  up? 
When  the  village  lazybones  wants  some  money 
to  carry  him  along  for  the  rest  of  the  year  with- 
out the  trouble  of  working  for  it,  he  proceeds 
to  fall  through  the  seats,  and  a  lawyer  will  soon 
show  up  with  an  attachment  for  the  manager 
to  stay  right  where  he  is  until  his  client  has 
received  a  few  hundred  dollars  for  fancied  in- 
juries. As  the  showman  cannot  stop  for  a  single 
day  without  damaging  his  prestige  and  can- 
celing valuable  dates,  he  pays  up,  and  calls  it  a 
"shakedown"  on  his  ledger. 

An  alderman  who  made  a  demand  on  the 


272  Driftwood  of  the  Sta^e. 

manager  of  the  leading  theater  in  his  city  for 
ten  seats  for  an  attraction  playing  to  advanced 
prices  was  told  that  it  would  be  impossible  to 
grant  his  request,  but  the  house  would  pro- 
vide seats  for  himself  and  wife.  This  would 
not  do.  The  tickets  had  been  promised  to  his 
constituents  and  if  not  forthcoming  there  would 
be  trouble.  Reason  was  out  of  the  question, 
and  the  city  father  vowed  vengeance.  It  was 
not  long  after  that  an  ordinance  was  presented 
to  the  city  council  regulating  the  scale  of  prices 
to  be  charged  in  theaters,  the  attention  of  the 
fire  department  was  called  to  the  insufficient  fire 
protection  and  the  building  department  got  busy 
suggesting  expensive  alterations.  All  proceed- 
ings came  to  a  sudden  stop  when  the  manager 
subscribed  five  dollars  towards  purchasing  a 
gold  badge  for  presentation  to  the  alderman, 
and  which  was  duly  entered  in  the  "shake- 
down" column. 

Nearly  all  of  the  large  traveling  organiza- 
tions have  on  their  staff  one  to  whom  all  com- 
plaints and  grievances  are  referred.  He  is 
called  either  a  "squarer"  or  a  "handy-boy."  His 
duties  are  to  protect  the  company  from  losses  of 
all  kinds,  especially  "shakedowns."  I^or  nearly 
half  a  year  he  follows  the  white  tents.     Every 


Driftwood  of  the  Sta^e.  273 

morning  he  is  up  at  the  break  of  day,  and  the 
last  to  retire  at  night.  His  services  are  liable 
to  be  required  at  any  minute.  Incidentally  he 
will  interview  the  mayor  when  the  license  is 
thought  to  be  excessive,  and  on  the  way  back 
pick  up  a  small  boy  who  has  got  tangled  up  in 
the  parade,  and  safely  land  him  on  the  side- 
walk, or  perhaps  take  a  frightened  horse  by 
the  head  until  the  caliope  has  passed. 

It  is  necessary  that  he  should  be  a  man  of 
sound  judgment,  a  good  talker,  affable  at  all 
times,  and  with  enough  knowledge  of  common 
law  to  hold  his  own  with  the  pettifogging 
lawyer,  who  is  a  constant  source  of  trouble. 
With  Chesterfieldian  grace  he  must  calm  the 
woman  who  has  been  caught  in  the  jam  at  the 
ticket  wagon,  and  just  as  politely  inform  those 
who  are  following  the  company  for  the  purpose 
of  fleecing  its  patrons  to  get  away  and  stay 
away  from  the  show,  giving  them  at  the  same 
time  to  understand  if  they  are  again  seen 
around  the  lot  a  few  canvasmen  will  be  turned 
loose  at  them. 

On  a  Sunday  morning  during  the  season  of 
1887,  the  train  carrying  the  Miller,  Okey  and 
Freeman  Circus  rolled  into  Easton,  Pa.,  where 
the  company  were  to  exhibit  the  following  dav. 

18 


274  Driftwood  of  the  Sta^e. 

When  the  employes  started  to  unload  the  cars 
they  were  stopped  by  the  authorities  with  the 
information  that  they  would  not  be  allowed  to 
unload  or  haul  their  belongings  through  the 
streets  on  Sunday.  The  "handy-boy"  soon 
discovered  it  was  the  work  of  a  so-called  law 
and  order  league,  and  sought  out  the  officers 
of  the  society  and  asked  permission  to  unload 
the  animals  and  erect  the  horse  and  cook  tents, 
promising  to  leave  all  other  work  until  the 
following  day.  Those  having  the  matter  in 
charge  refused  to  allow  work  of  any  kind  to  be 
done.  The  city  officials  were  appealed  to,  but 
gave  no  satisfaction.  The  "handy-boy"  saw 
but  one  way  out  of  the  dilemma.  He  called  on 
the  president  of  the  society  for  the  prevention 
of  cruelty  to  animals  and  stated  his  case.  It 
was  shown  how  much  suffering  would  be  caused 
by  the  animals  being  confined  in  crowded  cars 
for  a  whole  day.  Arrangements  could  be  made 
for  feeding  the  people  at  hotels  and  restaurants 
if  they  would  only  allow  the  dumb  creatures  to 
be  properly  fed  and  cared  for.  The  two  socie- 
ties at  once  commenced  a  fight  for  supremacy. 
The  cause  of  the  humane  society  was  espoused 
by  many,  and  the  company  was  allowed  to  un- 
load and  put  up  shelter  for  its  animals,  and  the 


Kthei.  Barrymore. 


Driftwood  of  the  Stage.  2yc^ 

cook  tent  to  feed  the  employes.  The  following 
day  the  rest  of  the  canvas  was  put  up,  two  per- 
formances given,  and  the  company  went  away 
leaving  the  Law  and  Order  League  and  the 
Society  for  the  Prevention  of  Cruelty  to  Ani- 
mals engaged  in  a  fight  that  was  a  long  and 
bitter  one. 

The  proprietor  of  a  well-known  minstrel 
company,  himself  a  musician  of  note,  took  great 
pride  in  the  band  of  the  organization,  the  mem- 
bers of  which  were  handsomely  uniformed  and 
selected  with  great  care,  each  being  a  soloist  on 
the  instrument  he  played.  A  set  of  gold  instru- 
ments were  manufactured  expressly  for  them, 
and  the  band  was  billed  as  "The  $10,000  Chal- 
lenge Gold  Band.     The  Best  Band  Traveling!'' 

During  the  parade  in  a  small  Ohio  town  a 
horse  shied,  and  in  consequence  a  slight  dam- 
age was  done  to  a  buggy  belonging  to  a  resi- 
dent of  the  town,  who  rushed  to  a  lawyer's 
office  and  began  a  suit  for  damages.  The  man- 
ager was  taken  before  a  justice  of  the  peace  on  a 
civil  warrant,  and  in  the  complaint  appeared 
the  following:  "And  then  and  there  a  body 
of  mountebanks,  commonly  called  minstrels,  in 
odd,  grotesque,  and  unusual  dress,  and  carry- 
ing with  them  a  number  of  brass,  wooden,  and 


2'j(y  Driftwood  of  the  Sta^^e. 

other  horns,  bugles,  trumpets,  cymbals  and 
drums,  did  on  said  horns,  bugles,  trumpets, 
cymbals  and  drums,  make  and  perform  loud, 
hideous  and  discordant  noises  and  sounds  to 
the  great  discomfort  and  annoyance  of  the  citi- 
zens of  said  city  and  county,  then  and  there 
lawfully  assembled,  and  by  reason  of  said  loud, 
hideous  and  discordant  noises  and  sounds,  did 
then  and  there  frighten  horses,  mules,  and  other 
beasts  of  burden  in  use  by  said  citizens,"  and 
so  on.  Experience  had  taught  the  manager  that 
a  fight  was  useless  and  he  settled,  paying  twenty 
times  the  amount  of  the  damage.  He  left  the 
court  room  with  a  look  of  sorrow  on  his  face. 
He  did  not  care  for  the  money.  It  was  what 
they  said  about  the  band. 

One  of  the  small  towns  in  Illinois  which  had 
been  founded  by  Quakers  and  populated  princi- 
pally by  members  of  that  sect,  gave  no  encour- 
agement to  traveling  companies  and  would  al- 
ways refuse  permission  to  the  circus.  The 
advance  representative  of  a  circus  company 
wished  to  give  a  performance  in  the  town,  and 
knowing  the  feeling  of  the  authorities  on  the 
subject,  called  on  one  of  the  leading  business 
men  and  sought  his  aid  in  bringing  the  com- 
pany to  the  place.     The  case  was  presented  to 


Driftzvood  of  the  Sta^^c.  277 

the  merchant  in  a  business-like  manner;  he  was 
told  of  the  crowds  that  would  come  from  the 
country,  the  money  that  would  be  spent  by  the 
visitors,  and  on  seeing  that  his  arguments  were 
having  no  weight  on  his  auditor,  the  agent 
stated  that  the  date  on  which  they  wished  to 
visit  the  town  happened  to  be  pay  day  with  the 
company,  and  their  three  hundred  employes 
would  be  liable  to  spend  a  goodly  sum  with  the 
storekeepers.  Several  other  business  men  were 
called  in  to  listen  to  the  story,  which  was  re- 
peated for  their  benefit,  and  after  a  conference 
among  them  the  agent  departed  with  the  desired 
permission,  much  elated  at  his  success. 

The  show  arrived  as  advertised,  and  was  the 
first  spread  of  canvas  ever  put  up  in  the  place. 
Just  as  the  morning  parade  was  about  to  take 
place  three  sober-faced  town  officials  called  at 
the  ground  and  asked  to  see  the  party  in  charge. 
The  manager  received  them  politely,  thinking 
they  wanted  to  look  over  the  outfit,  and  was 
about  to  detail  one  of  the  men  to  show  them 
around,  when  the  visitors  informed  him  that 
they  were  given  to  understand  the  company 
employed  three  hundred  people  in  different  ca- 
pacities and  wanted  to  take  down  their  names 
before  the  license  to  exhibit  would  be  signed. 


278  Driftwood  of  the  Sta^e. 

The  heads  of  departments  were  quickly  gotten 
together  and  tables  were  arranged  for  the  offi- 
cials who  were  to  take  the  names.  The  com- 
pany carried  less  than  one-half  of  the  number 
mentioned  but  that  did  not  matter.  One  of  the 
men  in  a  red  coat  would  be  registered  as  a  mem- 
ber of  the  band,  later  in  a  gray  coat  and  under 
a  different  name  as  a  driver,  and  again  in  over- 
alls as  a  hostler,  and  so  on  until  the  required 
number  was  obtained,  and  the  officials  departed 
as  quietly  as  they  came. 

No  one  could  imagine  what  was  up.  Here 
w^ere  men  who  had  passed  through  all  kinds  of 
"shakedowns"  trying  to  figure  out  what  was 
to  be  the  outcome  of  the  visit  of  the  three  mys- 
terious Quakers.  Great  care  was  exercised  all 
through  the  day  so  there  could  be  no  cause  for 
complaint  by  anyone.  Everything  passed  off 
in  an  orderly  manner,  but  not  until  the  last  car 
was  loaded  and  the  train  had  left  the  town  did 
the  management  feel  easy.  The  company  left 
a  man  behind  to  see  what  might  turn  up,  and 
his  report  a  few  days  later  explained  all. 

It  seemed  the  Quakers  were  anxious  to 
abate  the  saloons  in  their  midst,  and  to  do  this 
the  straggling  village  must  necessarily  be  in- 
corporated as  a  city,  and  under  the  laws  of  the 


Driftwood  of  the  Sta^^e.  279 

state  no  town  with  less  than  one  thousand  popu- 
lation could  be  incorporated.  They  had  waited 
until  the  circus  came  along,  a  census  was  taken, 
the  three  hundred  names  thus  gained  showing 
an  excess  of  the  required  number  of  people  and 
soon  followed  the  incorporation.  It  was  a  case 
of  "shakedown"  pure  and  simple,  but  this  was 
one  of  the  times  that  the  showman  was  not  the 
loser. 

It  is  surprising  to  see  how  many  people  have 
claims  on  the  amusement  enterprise  for  favors 
and  will  make  trouble  if  they  do  not  get  them. 
The  man  who  hauls  the  baggage  wants  tickets 
for  everybody  he  knows,  or  look  out  for  damage 
to  the  belongings  of  the  company.  Around  the 
railway  station  there  are  several  who  must  be 
looked  after  or  something  will  happen  to  make 
you  more  careful  in  the  next  town.  Then  come 
the  city  and  county  officers,  the  constables  and 
policemen.  Not  one  of  them  was  ever  known 
to  come  alone,  it  seeming  to  be  their  duty  to 
pick  up  all  they  can  on  the  way  and  bring  them 
along.  The  city  clerk  who  has  done  nothing 
but  receive  his  regular  fee  for  making  out  the 
license,  drops  in  with  several  of  his  friends  and 
feels  insulted  if  you  do  not  admit  all  of  them. 
You  must  not  forget  the  bill  poster,  he  also 


28o  Driftwood  of  the  Sta^e. 

has  a  lot  of  friends.  Slight  him  and  you  might 
as  well  cut  that  town  out  of  your  visiting  list, 
for  if  you  should  come  again  your  paper  could 
not  be  found  with  a  search  warrant.  Around 
the  hotel  you  must  show  no  favoritism.  Passes 
for  everybody,  from  proprietor  to  bell-boy,  or 
you  may  ring  the  bell  to  your  heart's  content, 
and  between  the  kitchen  and  dining-room  help 
you  will  get  all  that  is  coming  to  you  for  daring 
to  bring  a  show  into  town  and  not  provide  them 
with  tickets. 

These  people  have  been  paid  for  all  the  ser- 
vices they  have  rendered,  then  they  demand 
more.  In  other  walks  of  life  this  would  be 
called  blackmail.  In  the  amusement  world  they 
prefer  to  call  it  a  "shakedown." 

It  is  strange  how  much  time  and  sometimes 
money  will  be  spent  to  gain  free  admission  to  a 
place  of  amusement.  A  company  was  playing 
an  interior  town  in  New  York,  and  an  old 
farmer  hunted  up  the  manager  at  the  hotel  and 
proceeded  to  become  friendly.  He  bought 
drinks  and  cigars  and  was  so  good  natured  he 
could  not  be  shaken  off.  After  he  had  hung 
around  all  day.  and  was  still  patting  the  mana- 
ger on  the  back,  he  was  asked  the  reason  for  his 
kind  attention,  and  in  an  honest  way  replied: 


Driftwood  of  the  Stag^e.  281 

"Well,  you  are  the  man  who  gives  out  free 
tickets  to  the  show  and  I  thought  mebbe  I  could 
work  in  on  you/^ 

As  a  reward  for  his  honesty  he  was  given  a 
season  pass,  and  pains  were  taken  to  explain 
to  him  that  while  the  company  would  be  in  that 
town  but  one  night,  the  pass  would  be  good 
wherever  the  show  played  during  the  season. 
The  old  chap  was  tickled  half  to  death,  and  that 
night  he  was  the  first  one  in  the  theater  and 
the  last  one  to  leave.  He  was  at  the  depot  the 
next  morning  and  went  along  to  the  next  town. 
In  fact,  he  followed  on  for  a  week,  and  was 
ready  to  stand  treat  at  any  time.  At  the  end 
of  a  week  he  began  to  get  uneasy  and  count  up 
his  change,  and  when  it  was  seen  that  he  was 
about  ready  to  let  go  he  was  asked  if  he  had 
enough  of  theatricals. 

''It's  my  money  that  has  give  out,"  he  re- 
pHed.  "I'm  right  down  to  sixty  cents,  and 
have  got  to  telegraph  for  money  to  get  back 
home.  If  I'd  only  had  time  to  prepare  for  it 
I'd  have  sold  some  cattle  and  gone  right 
through  to  California  with  you.  By  John,  but  I 
hate  to  give  up  this  pass." 

"How  much  will  you  take  for  it?"  the  man- 


282  Driftwood  of  the  Sta^e. 

ager  asked,  curious  to  know  what  value  he  set 
on  it. 

"Well,  bein'  as  you  give  it  to  me  in  the  first 
place,  and  bein'  as  everybody  has  used  me  first 
rate,  Til  tell  you  what  I'll  do.  Gimme  my  fare 
home  and  fifty  dollars  in  cash  and  she's  yours." 


Driftzvood  of  the  Stage.  283 


AT  HOME  AND  ABROAD. 


Complaints  have  frequently  been  made  by 
American  actors  filling  engagements  in  Eng- 
land, especially  in  London,  that  they  seldom 
receive  courteous  treatment  while  there.  The 
coldness  of  the  audiences,  the  merciless  criticism 
of  the  press,  and  other  annoyances  to  which 
they  are  subject,  has  a  tendency  to  impress  on 
the  mind  a  concerted  attempt  by  the  English 
people  to  embarrass  the  actor,  and  a  disposition 
to  show  a  hostile  feeling  against  American 
artists  and  enterprises. 

Of  course,  allowance  must  be  made  for  na- 
tional prejudice  that  can  never  be  wholly  ef- 
faced. The  English  playgoer  strenuously  up- 
holds the  right  to  hiss  a  performance  as  one 
of  the  prerogatives  of  his  admission  fee,  or  if 
he  feels  so  disposed,  to  sit  through  the  play  in 
solemn  silence.  While  there  are  a  number  of 
American  actors  who  have  met  with  hospitality, 
fair  play  and  appreciation  in  Eingland,  at  the 
same  time  there  are  many  more  who  have  been 
received  in  a  manner  far  different  from  what 
they  deserved. 


284  Driftzvood  of  the  Stage. 

While  a  generous  welcome  generally  awaits 
the  English  actor's  visit  to  our  shores,  there 
have  been  cases  where  the  Englishman's  path- 
way was  not  strewn  with  roses.  Edmund  Kean 
was  received  on  his  opening  night  at  New  York 
with  such  an  uproar  that  he  could  not  be  heard, 
and  at  Boston  he  was  assailed  by  a  veritable 
rain  of  apples,  potatoes,  gingerbread,  and  bot- 
tles filled  with  asafoetida.  A  few  years  later 
William  C.  Macready  had  to  flee  for  his  life. 
No  violence  was  offered  to  Barry  Sullivan,  but 
his  treatment  was  far  from  courteous. 

It  seems  rather  strange  that  in  all  the  bi- 
ographies and  reminiscences  that  have  been 
written  by  prominent  players,  not  one  of  them 
mentions  the  name  of  Barry  Sullivan,  one  of 
the  best  Shakespearean  readers  and  scholars  of 
his  day.  Even  in  Joseph  Jefferson's  delightful 
autobiography,  no  mention  is  made  of  Mr.  Sul- 
livan, although  Mr.  Jefferson  played  Graves 
to  the  Evelyn  of  Mr.  Sullivan  in  the  comedy  of 
"Money,"  at  the  Princess  Theater,  Melbourne, 
Australia,  in  1862.  A  supper  was  tendered 
those  gentlemen  and  the  two  captains  com- 
manding the  ships  that  took  them  out  to  Aus- 
tralia. 

As  a  man  Mr.  Sullivan  was  not  very  well 


Driftwood  of  the  Staf^e.  285 


liked.  To  some  he  appeared  cold  and  distant, 
and  his  jealousy  of  other  actors  was  almost 
childish.  Yet,  with  these  failings,  he  was  one 
of  the  most  versatile  actors  the  stage  ever  knew 
— equally  good  in  tragedy,  comedy,  Irish 
drama  and  farce.  He  was  also  an  admirable 
manager.  He  was  master  of  all  the  duties  and 
details  connected  with  a  theater,  from  those  of 
call  boy  up. 

Barry  Sullivan's  first  appearance  in  America 
was  made  at  the  Broadway  Theater,  New  York, 
November  22,  1858,  in  the  character  of  Ham- 
let. Personations  of  Claude  Melnotte,  Mac- 
beth, Shylock,  and  Richard  III.  followed.  A 
month  later  he  opened  at  Burton's  Theater  in 
the  same  city,  at  which  house  he  was  princi- 
pally supported  by  William  Davidge,  J.  H. 
Allen,  Fanny  Morant  and  Ada  Clifton. 

In  some  of  the  cities  afterward  visited  he 
encountered  a  spirit  of  malignant  persecution. 
During  his  first  engagement  at  the  Walnut 
Street  Theater,  Philadelphia,  he  was  charged 
with  spitting  at  Harry  Perry,  who  was  playing 
Richmond,  in  the  last  act  of  "Richard  III,"  the 
partisans  of  that  actor  construing  a  characteris- 
tic bit  of  stage  business  on  the  part  of  the  Irish 
tragedian  into  a  personal  insult  to  their  favorite. 


286  Driftzvood  of  the  Sta^e. 

There  can  be  no  doubt,  furthermore,  that  the 
ill-feeling  excited  by  this  mistaken  impression 
was  considerably  aggravated  by  a  remarkable 
passage  at  arms  which  Mr.  Sullivan  had  at  this 
time  in  this  very  theater  with  the  great  Edwin 
Forrest.     When  not  acting  himself,  the  sten- 
torian American  tragedian  had  a  habit  of  going 
to  see  whatever  rival  player  happened  to  be  in 
the   neighborhood,   and   noisily   expressing   his 
disapproval  of  any  passage  not  delivered  to  his 
liking.     It  has  been  said  that  during  this  en- 
gagement Mr.   Forrest  went  to  see  him  play 
Hamlet,  and  was  so  disgusted  with  Mr.  Sulli- 
van's resemblance  to  Mr.  Macready  that  he  an- 
noyed both  players  and  audience  by  frequent 
interruptions  and  other  evidences  of  disappro- 
bation.    It  may  be  of  interest  to  this  genera- 
tion to  know  that    Mr.    Forrest's    hatred    of 
Macready  developed  into  an  international  ques- 
tion, and  culminated  in  the  Astor  Place  Opera 
House  riot  in  May,  1849,  when  it  was  neces- 
sary to  call  out  the  military  to  quell  the  mob. 
At  the  time  of  Mr.  Forrest's  second  visit  to 
London,  which  occurred  in  1845,  he  appeared 
at  the  Princess  Theater,  London,  as  Macbeth. 
On  this  occasion  he  was  hissed,  which  indignity 
he  ascribed  to  the  intrigues  of  Macready.    The 


Driftwood  of  the  Sta^e.  287 

following  year  Mr.  Forrest  hissed  Macready's 
Hamlet  at  Edinburgh.  On  his  return  to  this 
country,  Mr.  Forrest  played  to  houses  crowded 
night  after  night,  for  a  month  or  more.  He 
was  then  at  the  height  of  his  popularity;  it  was 
before  the  Forrest  divorce  suit  brought  his 
name  so  unpleasantly  and  so  unhappily  before 
the  public. 

Mr.  Forrest  was  much  beloved  by  that  singu- 
lar and  now  extinct  product  of  New  York  life, 
the  Bowery  boy.  The  volunteer  fire  department 
gave  birth  to  the  Bowery  boy,  who  worked  for 
his  living  on  week  days,  and  on  evenings  and 
holidays  aimed  only  to  be  a  dandy  and  a  fire- 
man. 

His  hair  was  cropped  at  the  back  of  his 
head  as  closely  as  scissors  would  cut,  while  the 
long  front  locks  were  stiffened  with  bear's 
grease,  and  then  brushed  until  they  shone  like 
glass.  His  face  was  closely  shaven,  as  beards 
in  any  shape  were  considered  effeminate,  and 
so  forbidden  by  his  creed.  A  black,  straight 
broad-brimmed  silk  hat  was  worn  with  a  pitch 
forward  and  a  slight  inclination  to  one  side,  in- 
tended to  impart  a  rakish  air.  A  large  shirt 
collar  turned  down  and  loosely  fashioned  so  as 
to  expose  the  full  proportions  of  a  brawny  neck ; 


288  Driftwood  of  the  Sta^e. 

a  black  frock  coat  with  skirts  extending  to  the 
knee;  a  flashy  satin  or  velvet  vest,  cut  so  low 
as  to  expose  the  entire  bosom  of  an  embroidered 
shirt;  trousers  tight  to  the  knee,  thence  grad- 
ually swelling  in  size  to  the  bottom  so  as  to 
nearly  conceal  the  feet  encased  in  well-polished 
boots — these  with  much  jewelry,  a  voice  mod- 
eled after  that  of  the  fire  trumpet,  and  a  lan- 
guage all  his  own  completed  the  picture  of  the 
Bowery  boy — first  at  fires,  devoted  patron  of 
the  theater,  and  loyal  to  his  friends  and  his 
country.  Rough,  rather  than  tough,  he  scorned 
to  use  any  weapons  save  those  that  nature  gave 
him.  Few  there  were  in  the  days  of  his  glory 
that  could  compel  his  reverence. 

The  volunteer  fireman  at  that  time  was  a  vast 
power  in  New  York.  He  received  no  compen- 
sation from  the  city.  Where  his  duty  led  him 
there  he  went;  and  when  honest  motives 
prompted  him  he  acted  accordingly. 

The  fire  boys  fairly  idolized  Jenny  Lind.  She 
gave  $3,000  to  the  Widows'  and  Orphans' 
Fund  of  the  Fire  Department,  and  to  show  their 
gratitude,  the  firemen  held  a  public  meeting,  and 
in  a  gold  box,  purchased  by  subscription  for 
the  purpose,  conveyed  to  the  singer  the  reso- 
lutions passed  at  the  meeting.    On  the  lid  of  the 


Driftwood  of  the  Sta^e,  289 

box  was  a  scroll  with  this  inscription:  "The 
Firemen  of  New  York  to  Miss  Jenny  Lind, 
September  13,  1850."  They  also  gave  her  a 
handsome  rosewood  bookcase  containing  Audo- 
bon's  ''Birds  and  Quadrupeds  of  America."  At 
one  of  her  concerts  these  new  found  friends 
quite  upset  the  singer's  gravity  by  crowding 
the  house  and  on  her  appearance  rising  to  their 
feet  and  welcoming  her  with  three  cheers. 

Catharine  Hayes  was  another  of  their  favor- 
ites. She  gave  a  concert  for  their  Fund  and 
they  never  forgot  it.  When  this  lady  arrived 
in  California  she  found  that  many  of  these  New 
York  boys  had  preceded  her  in  the  search  for 
gold,  and  each  had  constituted  himself  an  ad- 
vance agent  to  herald  her  coming.  Miss  Hayes 
was  a  great  success  in  California,  but  through 
the  failure  of  her  bankers,  she  lost  all.  A 
benefit  was  given  her  and  the  fire  boys  had 
charge  of  the  affair.  The  seats  were  sold  at 
auction.  The  bidding  on  the  first  seat  was 
spirited.  An  admirer  bid  as  high  as  $1,050, 
but  finding  he  was  contending  against  a  wealthy 
fire  company,  withdrew.  The  company  finally 
paid  $1,250  for  the  coveted  seat,  and  the  gen- 
tleman took  second  choice  for  $1,000. 

To  these  loyal  fellows  Mr.  Forrest  was  the 

19 


290  Driftwood  of  the  Sta^e. 


greatest  actor  in  all  the  world.  An  insult  to 
him  was  an  insult  to  them.  They  seemed 
banded  together  as  one.  On  a  banner  carried 
by  one  of  the  companies  was  this  inscription: 
"The  injury  of  one  is  the  concern  of  all,"  but 
this  motto  was  simplified  by  them  with  the 
saying  "Hit  one,  hit  all."  Their  loyalty  to 
country  was  shown  at  the  outbreak  of  the  civil 
war,  when  a  regiment  of  1,200  of  these  brave 
laddies  was  organized  by  Colonel  Ellsworth, 
and  one  of  the  first  to  arrive  for  the  defense  of 
the  capital.  In  one  case,  every  single  member 
of  a  fire  company  volunteered  for  two  years  of 
the  war.  In  the  old  New  York  Volunteer  Fire 
Department  one  company  was  known  as  For- 
rest Engine,  No.  3,  and  another  as  Edwin 
Forrest  Hose,  No.  5,  in  honor  of  the  great  tra- 
gedian. Metamora  Hose,  No.  29,  was  named 
in  honor  of  one  of  Mr.  Forrest's  most  famous 
characters,  that  of  the  Indian  chieftain. 

On  May  7,  1849,  Mr.  Macready  was  an- 
nounced to  appear  at  the  Astor  Place  Opera 
House,  New  York,  as  Macbeth.  The  friends 
of  Mr.  Forrest  well  remembered  the  insult  that 
their  favorite  claimed  had  been  offered  him  in 
England  simply  because  he  was  an  American, 
and  not  because  of  his  art.     They  filled  the 


Driftwood  of  tlie  Sta^e.  291 

house  and  when  Mr.  Macready  appeared  a 
storm  of  hisses  was  launched  at  him.  Cheers 
were  given  for  Mr.  Forrest  and  groans  for  the 
Englishman.  Finding  it  impossible  to  give  the 
performance,  the  curtain  was  dropped  and  the 
audience  dismissed.  This  way  of  treating  a 
visitor  to  our  shores  did  not  meet  the  approval 
of  all,  and  a  petition  signed  by  man)-  of  the  city's 
most  prominent  men  was  presented  to  Mr. 
Macready,  asking  him  to  finish  his  engagement 
and  the  authorities  assured  him  of  protection. 

On  Thursday  evening,  May  10,  he  again  ap- 
peared in  the  character  of  Macbeth.  This  night 
thousands  came  to  see  what  would  happen  to 
the  English  actor.  His  treatment  was  much 
worse  than  he  had  previously  received,  and  he 
narrowly  escaped  with  his  life.  In  the  rioting 
that  followed  twenty-two  persons  were  killed 
and  thirty-six  wounded.  He  was  obliged  to  fly 
from  the  city  to  save  himself  from  violence, 
and  went  to  New  Rochelle,  N.  Y.,  where  friends 
kept  him  in  seclusion.  Shortly  after  he  sailed 
from  Boston  to  his  home. 

On  February  2,  1852,  Mrs.  Forrest,  under 
her  maiden  name,  Catharine  Sinclair,  made  her 
theatrical  debut  playing  Pauline  and  Lady 
Teazle,  at  Brougham's  Lyceum,  then    on    the 


292  Driftwood  of  the  Stage. 


south-west  corner  of  Broadway  and  Broome 
Street,  New  York.  The  Forrest  divorce  suit 
at  that  time  was  the  all  pervading  topic  of  dis- 
cussion and  interest;  and  public  feeling  was 
strongly  for  or  against  the  contending  parties. 
It  was  feared  that  the  scenes  of  the  Astor  Place 
riot  Avould  be  repeated.  The  crowds  were 
enormous.  Indoors  a  large  body  of  police  were 
on  hand  to  preserve  order,  and  the  Seventh  and 
Twelfth  Regiments  of  the  National  Guard  were 
drawn  up  on  Broome  Street  in  case  their  services 
were  required.  There  was  no  disturbance,  it 
not  being  deemed  safe  or  expedient  to  interfere 
with  the  performance. 

Returning  from,  his  American  trip,  which 
extended  as  far  as  California,  Mr.  Sullivan 
made  his  reappearance  in  London  at  the  St. 
James'  Theater,  August  20,  i860,  as  Hamlet. 
His  second  and  last  engagement  in  this  coun- 
try was  under  the  management  of  Jarrett  and 
Palmer,  and  began  at  Booth's  Theater,  New 
York,  August  30,  1875.  'I'he  contract  called 
for  one  hundred  performances  in  the  principal 
cities  of  the  country,  twenty-one  to  be  given 
at  this  theater. 

On  the  opening  night  he  was  escorted  to  the 
theater  by  the  famous  Sixty-ninth   Regiment, 


KZRA  KENDAI.I.. 


Driftwood  of  the  Sta^e.  293 

the  city's  representative  Irish  organization.  The 
regiment,  more  than  1,000  strong,  in  full  uni- 
form, helped  to  pack  the  house.  Immense 
crowds  blocked  the  streets  and  a  large  force  of 
police  was  necessary  to  keep  a  passage  for  the 
cars.  No  seats  were  to  be  had  at  the  box  office, 
and  speculators  were  selling  what  they  had 
secured  at  five  dollars  each.  The  crowd  began 
to  collect  around  the  theater  early  in  the  even- 
ing and  by  eight  o'clock  fully  20,000  persons 
surrounded  the  building.  The  theater  could 
only  accommodate  3,000,  so  the  remainder  were 
contented  to  wait  outside  until  midnight  in  or- 
der that  they  might  get  a  glimpse  of  Mr.  Sulli- 
van, and  have  the  satisfaction  of  escorting  him 
to  his  hotel  with  bands  and  a  torchlight  pre- 
cession. The  Irish  colors  were  much  in 
evidence,  the  exterior  as  well  as  the  interior 
being  handsomely  draped,  and  the  orchestra 
gave  a  program  of  Irish  selections.  The 
play  was  "Hamlet,"  with  James  F.  Cathcart 
as  the  Ghost,  Frederick  B.  Warde  as  Laertes, 
and  Louise  Hibbert  as  Ophelia. 

On  the  same  night  E.  L.  Davenport,  a 
formidable  rival,  played  the  Dane  at  the  Grand 
Opera  House,  two  blocks  away.  In  his  sup- 
port were  Robert  Johnston  as  the  Ghost,  Joseph 


294  Driftwood  of  the  Sta^e. 

Wheelock  as  Laertes,  and  Laura  Don  as 
Ophelia.  This  theater  was  profusely  decorated 
inside  and  out  with  American  flags,  and  the 
orchestra  played  national  airs,  in  which  the 
audience  joined  in  singing.  After  the  perform- 
ance the  supporters  of  the  American  Hamlet 
marched  through  the  streets,  singing  patriotic 
songs,  to  the  Fifth  Avenue  Hotel,  where  Mr. 
Sullivan  was  being  serenaded  by  the  band  of 
the  Sixty-ninth.  The  police  were  prepared  for 
any  clash  that  might  happen  between  the  rival 
factions,  but  none  occurred. 

In  July,  1886,  Henry  E.  Abbey  made  over- 
tures to  Mr.  Sullivan  for  a  tour  of  this  coun- 
try to  continue  forty  weeks,  and  to  include  the 
larger  cities  of  the  United  States  and  Canada, 
but  the  offer  was  declined  on  account  of  ill- 
health.  In  the  following  year  he  bade  fare- 
well to  the  stage,  when  he  brought  his  engage- 
ment at  the  Royal  Alexandra  Theater,  Liver- 
pool, to  a  close  on  June  4,  1887,  with  an 
impersonation  of  Richard  III.  Not  long  after 
this,  while  he  was  telling  friends  who  were 
visiting  him  some  reminiscences  of  his  early 
days,  he  fell  back  in  his  chair  stricken  with 
paralysis.  He  wasted  away  under  the  devasta- 
tions of  this  terrible  disease,  and  on  May  3, 


Driftwood  of  the  Stage.  295 

1 89 1,  in  the  presence  of  his  entire  family  he 
quietly  passed  from  earth.  Five  days  later  all 
that  was  mortal  of  poor  Barry  Sullivan  was  laid 
in  its  last  resting  place  in  the  beautiful  Glas- 
nevin  Cemetery  at  Dublin,  Ireland. 


296  Driftwood  of  the  Stage. 


PATRIOTISM  OF  STAGE  FOLKS. 


A  party  of  stage  folks  were  gathered  to  pay 
their  last  respects  to  an  actor  who  had  passed 
away.  A  carefully  arranged  American  flag  on 
the  casket  showed  that  he  had  also  been  a 
soldier.  Flowers  were  the  tributes  of  friends, 
the  flag  the  tribute  of  the  entire  nation. 

There  was  a  time  when  there  were  a  large 
number  of  veterans  of  the  civil  war  in  the  pro- 
fession. Each  fought  for  what  he  deemed  the 
right,  and  on  their  respective  memorial  days 
loving  hands  strew  flowers  on  the  grave  of  the 
actor  who  fought  for  the  cause  that  won,  and 
with  the  same  feeling  decorate  the  grave  of 
the  one  whose  cause  was  lost.  It  would  take 
much  space  to  record  all  their  names.  Thou- 
sands of  stage  folks  who  made  noble  sacrifices 
to  serve  their  country  have  passed  away,  among 
whom  will  be  found  such  names  as  Daniel  H. 
Harkins,  William  E.  Sheridan,  Henry  C. 
Miner,  Harry  Kernell,  Nate  Salsbury,  and 
others  of  equal  prominence. 

It  might  be  well  to  also  mention  Jean  Daven- 


Driftwood  of  the  Stage.  297 

port  Lander,  who  ranked  among  the  most 
accompHshed  tragic  actresses  of  her  day.  She 
became  the  wife  of  Colonel  Frederick  W. 
Lander,  a  civil  engineer,  in  i860.  When  the 
war  broke  out  Colonel  Lander  joined  the  Union 
army,  was  made  a  general  and  killed  in  battle 
on  March  3,  1862.  Mrs.  Lander,  who  at  the 
time  of  her  marriage  had  retired  from  the  stage, 
did  not  return  to  it  for  several  years,  preferring 
in  the  meanwhile  to  devote  herself  to  the  cause 
in  which  her  husband's  life  had  been  given  up. 
That  cause  she  served  as  a  hospital  nurse  at 
Washington,  and  later  she  took  entire  charge 
of  the  hospital  department  at  Port  Royal,  S.  C, 
and  rendered  good  service  to  her  country  in  ad- 
ministering aid  and  comfort  to  the  wounded 
and  dying  soldiers.  Charlotte  Cushman  gave 
benefit  performances  at  New  York,  Phila- 
delphia, Boston,  Washington  and  Baltimore  for 
the  relief  of  sick  and  wounded  soldiers,  realizing 
the  sum  of  $9,000,  which  was  turned  over  to 
the  United  States  Sanitary  Commission. 

James  E.  Murdoch,  one  of  the  greatest  of 
American  tragedians,  was  under  engagement 
to  open  at  Pittsburg  during  the  excitement 
caused  by  the  attack  on  Fort  Sumpter.  On  his 
arrival  there  he  found  that  his  youngest  son 


298  Driftwood  of  the  Sta^e. 

had  enlisted  and  started  for  Washington  with 
the  Cincinnati  Zouave  Guard,  and  had  passed 
through  Pittsburg  only  a  few  hours  before  his 
arrival  there.  Though  Mr.  Murdoch's  name 
was  on  the  bills  for  that  night  he  determined 
to  follow  his  son,  and  locking  up  his  trunks  and 
sending  them  to  his  home  in  Ohio,  he  solemnly 
asserted  he  would  never  act  again  until  peace 
was  declared.  He  had  hoped  to  serve  as  a 
soldier,  but  his  health  broke  down  and  after 
two  attempts,  he  gave  up  the  idea  of  serving 
in  the  field  and  devoted  himself  to  the  sick  and 
wounded,  reading  to  and  encouraging  the 
men  in  the  field,  visiting  the  hospitals,  and  giv- 
ing benefits  all  over  the  country  for  the  aid  of 
the  Sanitary  Commission.  He  was  appointed 
an  aide  on  the  staff  of  General  Rousseau,  and 
for  four  years  devoted  himself  to  the  cause. 

Charles  Wyndham,  one  of  the  most  popular 
English  actors  that  ever  visited  our  shores, 
always  pointed  with  pride  to  his  service  in  our 
civil  war.  In  the  cosy  study  in  his  pretty  home 
in  St.  John's  Wood  Park  is  to  be  seen  sus- 
pended over  the  mantelpiece  the  sword  which 
he  wore  as  brigade  surgeon  of  the  Nineteenth 
Army  Corps,  during  the  Seven  Days'  and  Red 
River    campaigns.      Mr.    Wyndham    was    ap- 


Driftwood  of  the  Sta^e.  299 

f  ointed  to  this  position  by  Major-General  N.  P. 
Banks,  after  an  introduction  given  to  him  by 
P.  T.  Barnum.  Dan  Rice  did  much  for  the 
soldiers  while  in  the  field,  and  at  the  close  of 
the  war  erected  a  monument  to  the  memory  of 
those  who  died  in  defense  of  their  country.  This 
monument,  which  is  one  of  the  finest  in  the 
state,  is  located  in  one  of  the  public  squares  at 
Girard,  Pa. 

Among  the  women  of  America  who  made 
themselves  famous  during  the  rebellion  was 
Pauline  Cushman.  While  playing  at  Wood's 
Theater,  Louisville,  Ky.,  in  March,  1863,  she 
forsook  the  stage  and  entered  the  Federal  ser- 
vice as  a  scout  and  spy,  and  was  at  once  detailed 
to  carry  orders  between  Louisville  and  Nash- 
ville. She  was  subsequently  employed  by 
General  Rosecrans,  and  for  many  months  at- 
tached to  the  Army  of  the  Cumberland.  She 
visited  the  Confederate  lines  time  after  time, 
and  rendered  her  country  invaluable  service. 
She  was  twice  taken  prisoner,  but  managed  to 
escape  without  giving  away  any  of  the  secrets 
entrusted  to  her  by  the  Federal  government. 
It  was  just  after  Nashville  was  taken  that  the 
little  w^oman  was  captured  while  making  a  trip 
near  that  city.     Again  she  managed  to  escape 


300  Driftwood  of  the.  Sta^e. 

only  to  be  recaptured  the  following  morning. 
They  held  to  her  this  time  and  found  in  her 
garters  papers  which  proved  conclusively  that 
she  was  a  scout  and  spy.  Arrangements  were 
being  made  to  hang  her  when  the  Union  forces 
marched  into  the  town  and  took  possession. 
For  meritorious  services  she  was  given  the 
brevet  of  major,  and  afterward  became  known 
in  theatrical  circles  as  Major  Pauline  Cushman. 
At  one  time  Adah  Isaacs  Menken  became  in- 
terested in  military  affairs  and  was  elected  cap- 
tain of  a  company  at  Dayton,  Ohio.  On  her 
travels  her  commission  as  an  officer  was  placed 
on  exhibition  in  the  lobbies  of  the  theaters 
where  she  played,  and  attracted  much  attention. 
During  one  of  her  engagements  at  Albany,  N. 
Y.,  she  paid  a  visit  to  the  armory  of  the  Twen- 
ty-fifth Regiment  of  that  city,  and  was  hospit- 
ably received.  At  her  benefit  a  few  days  later, 
she  sang  a  song  dedicated  to  that  regiment. 
During  the  civil  war  she  frequently  got  in  hot 
water  by  expressing  herself  a  little  too  freely 
as  a  secessionist.  She  was  very  fond  of  decor- 
ating her  rooms  with  Confederate  flags  every- 
where she  went.  While  playing  at  Baltimore, 
then  under  military  rule,  she  was  arrested  and 
placed  under  guard  during  the  reign  of  Provost 


Driftwood  of  the  Stage.  301 

Marshal  Fish,  but  was  treated  with  considera- 
tion on  account  of  her  manifold  charms  of  man- 
ner and  person.  Charlotte  Crampton  aban- 
doned the  stage  when  informed  that  her  son 
had  enlisted  in  the  Union  army  for  the  war. 
Althouo^h  at  that  time  more  than  a  middle-ager^ 
woman  she  became  a  vivandiere,  and  followed 
her  boy's  regiment  through  the  campaign. 

At  the  first  call  for  troops  a  number  of 
theatrical  men  met  on  the  stage  of  the  New 
Bowery  Theater,  New  York,  to  recruit  a  com- 
pany for  the  Eighth  New  York  Infantry. 
George  L.  Fox  was  elected  a  lieutenant  in  the 
company  and  served  at  the  front  with  the  or- 
ganization during  the  entire  period  of  its 
service.  Nearly  all  the  members  of  the  company 
were  in  some  way  identified  with  the  theatrical 
profession.  About  the  same  time  recruiting 
was  going  on  at  the  Howard  Athenaeum,  Bos- 
ton, for  a  company  in  the  Twenty-eighth  Mas- 
sachusetts Infantry.  On  its  organization 
Lawrence  Barrett  was  elected  captain.  When 
this  company  went  to  the  front  William  J.  Le- 
Moyne  was  its  first  lieutenant,  and  when  Mr. 
Barrett  resigned  Mr.  LeMoyne  was  advanced 
to  the  vacant  position.  He  was  badly  wounded 
at  the  battle  of  South  Mountain.     A  company 


302  Driftwood  of  the  Stage. 

was  recruited  for  the  Fifth  Michigan  Infantry 
at  the  National  Theater,  Detroit,  Mich.,  and  a 
number  of  stage  folks  signed  the  roll.  E.  T. 
Sherlock,  at  that  time  manager  of  the  house, 
became  its  captain.  He  was  soon  promoted  to 
be  major,  and  was  killed  by  a  shell  while  lead- 
ing his  regiment  at  the  battle  of  Chancellors- 
ville,  Va.,  in  May,  1863. 

In  January,  1861,  a  call  was  sent  out  among 
the  theatrical  profession  requesting  their  at- 
tendance on  the  stage  of  the  Varieties'  Theater, 
New  Orleans,  for  the  purpose  of  organizing  a 
military  company  to  assist  in  the  defense  of 
the  city,  and  if  necessary  to  be  offered  for  ser- 
vice in  the  cause  of  the  Confederacy.  The 
original  idea  of  having  none  but  those  connected 
with  the  stage  was  closely  carried  out,  and  over 
one  hundred  names  were  obtained  at  this  meet- 
ing. The  organization  selected  the  name  of 
"The  Cocktail  Guards,"  and  John  E.  Owens, 
at  that  time  the  manager  of  the  house,  was 
chosen  captain.  Among  those  prominent  in 
theatrical  life  who  assisted  in  the  formation  and 
became  active  members  of  the  company  were 
Mark  Smith,  Carlo  Patti,  Thomas  W.  Davey, 
Harry  Hawk,  Luke  Schoolcraft,  M.  W.  Lef- 


Driftwood  of  the  Stage.  303 


fingwell,  Louis  Sharpe,  Fred  Maeder  and 
Thomas  B.  MacDonough. 

When  General  George  B.  McClellan  was 
removed  from  the  command  of  the  army  in 
1862,  it  caused  much  bitterness  among  the 
soldiers  in  the  field.  He  had  the  love  and  con- 
fidence of  his  men,  many  of  whom  openly  de- 
clared he  was  the  victim  of  political  intrigue. 
Septimus  Winner  at  the  time  composed  a  song 
entitled  "Give  Us  Back  Our  Old  Commander," 
and  because  of  the  sentiments  it  expressed 
stirred  up  so  much  feeling  that  its  publication 
was  stopped  by  the  war  department.  The  song 
was  prohibited  in  public  places.  A  singer  in 
a  Philadelphia  theater  was  stopped  in  the  middle 
of  a  verse  by  the  authorities,  and  a  New  York 
manager,  who  after  asking  legal  advice  on  the 
subject,  announced  the  song  for  a  certain  even- 
ing, was  informed  by  the  provost  marshal  of 
the  city  that  if  he  allowed  the  song  to  be  sung 
all  connected  would  be  locked  up  in  Fort 
Lafayette. 

In  the  summer  of  1863,  Madeline  Hardy, 
adopted  daughter  of  Peter  Richings,  and  for 
many  years  a  member  of  the  Richings  Opera 
Company,  began  an  engagement  at  the 
Academy  of  Music,  New  Orleans,  then  under 


304  Driftwood  of  the  Stage. 

the  management  of  David  Bidwell.  While  there 
the  song,  ''Death  of  Stonewall  Jackson"  was 
written,  and  Miss  Hardy  being  a  great  favorite 
in  New  Orleans  and  a  typical  southern  girl,  the 
piece  was  dedicated  to  her.  It  created  such  an 
excitement  that  General  Sheridan,  who  at  that 
time  was  commanding  the  troops  in  the  city, 
martial  law  having  been  declared,  forbade  Miss 
Hardy  singing  the  song.  The  following  even- 
ing she  wore  a  white  dress  with  a  red  ribbon 
suspended  from  the  left  shoulder.  Red  and 
white  were  the  Confederate  colors,  and  they 
were  worn  without  thinking  of  causing  any 
trouble.  General  Sheridan  resented  it  and  sent 
a  squad  of  soldiers  with  orders  to  remove  her 
entire  wardrobe  from  the  theater.  This  was 
done  and  a  riot  nearly  resulted,  but  was  finally 
averted. 

No  regiment,  north  or  south,  had  so  many 
members  of  the  theatrical  profession  in  its  ranks 
as  the  Ninth  New  York  Infantry  (Hawkins* 
Zouaves).  While  at  Roanoke  Island  in  1862, 
the  soldiers  formed  "The  Zouave  Minstrel  and 
Dramatic  Club."  A  building  was  assigned  to 
them  which  was  soon  converted  into  a  theater. 
From  the  ranks  came  the  scene  painters,  theatri- 
cal mechanics,  experienced  property  men,  and 


Driftwood  of  the  Stage.  305 

costumers  to  make  and  care  for  the  wardrobe. 
An  orchestra  was  soon  gotten  together  of  musi- 
cians who  had  often  received  the  plaudits  of 
metropoHtan  audiences.  No  matter  what  the 
play  the  parts  could  always  be  filled  with  pro- 
fessional actors. 

A  regular  admission  fee  was  charged  and 
the  season  proved  sp  successful  that  after  paying 
all  expenses,  ^he  sum  of  $400  was  turned  over 
to  the  hospital  fund.  Crowds  came  from  all  the 
camps  on  the  Island,  many  frequently  were  turn- 
ed away,  and  the  natives  were  simply  astounded 
at  the  versatility  of  the  soldiers.  There  were 
many  actors  in  the  companies  of  this  regiment 
selected  to  make  the  gallant  charge  at  Roanoke 
Island,  the  first  bayonet  charge  of  the  war. 
When  the  command  to  charge  was  given  the 
men  responded  instantly,  and  dashed  forward. 
Within  five  minutes  they  had  swarmed  over  the 
parapet  and  through  the  embrasures,  and  the 
battle  was  won.  Many  lives  were  lost,  but  no 
men  ever  died  more  bravely. 

A  few  years  after  the  close  of  the  civil  war,  a 
young  fellow  started  out  as  advance  representa- 
tive of  a  company  touring  the  smaller  cities  of 
the  south.  Arriving  at  a  town  in  South  Caro- 
lina, where  his  company  was  booked  to  play, 

20 


3o6  Driftwood  of  the  Stage. 

he  met  the  agent  of  another  company  which 
was  to  play  the  town  four  days  previous  to 
him,  and  who  should  have  had  his  work  done 
and  on  his  way.  He  was  full  of  trouble.  He 
claimed  that  in  all  his  theatrical  experience  he 
had  never  met  such  a  tough  proposition  to  do 
business  with  as  the  manager  of  that  place. 
The  manager,  who  was  also  the  bill-poster, 
would  do  nothing  for  him,  and  he  was  com- 
pelled to  do  all  his  own  advertising  and  bill- 
posting  and  at  that  could  only  get  up  his  print- 
ing in  out-of-the-way  places. 

Expecting  the  same  kind  of  treatment,  the 
young  man  started  out  to  find  the  manager  and 
make  himself  known,  and  to  his  surprise  was 
greeted  most  cordially.  The  two  had  not  con- 
versed long  when  he  was  informed  that  if  he 
would  get  his  billing  matter  ready  it  would  be 
put  up  that  afternoon.  When  all  was  ready  to 
start  out,  it  was  noticed  that  three  of  the  man- 
ager's fingers  were  missing.  Handing  him  the 
package  of  printing,  the  more  fortunate  agent 
took  up  the  two  heavy  buckets  of  paste  and 
followed.  In  a  short  time  a  stand  of  his  bills 
was  posted  on  the  most  conspicuous  bill  board 
in  town.  They  were  fairly  under  way  with 
another    stand    when    the    disappointed    agent 


Driftwood  of  the  Stage.  307 

came  along  and  began  to  abuse  the  manager 
for  his  lack  of  attention  and  the  poor  showing 
of  his  paper.  The  manager  stopped  his  work 
and  turned  his  gaze  toward  a  badge  that  was 
displayed  on  the  breast  of  the  agent.  It  was 
the  symbol  of  the  Fourteenth  Army  Corps  of 
Sherman's  command,  a  little  golden  acorn 
hanging  from  a  miniature  American  flag. 
Pointing  to  it  with  his  wounded  hand  he  said: 
"People  that  has  them  kind  of  ornaments  on 
them  generally  has  niggers  do  their  work." 

There  are  still  a  number  of  veterans  of  this 
terrible  conflict  prominently  before  the  public. 
The  side  on  which  they  fought  should  not  be 
asked.  Time  has  effaced  all  differences,  and 
when  the  last  of  those  who  so  honored  their 
profession  shall  have  passed  away,  let  us  hope 
that  we  will  find  them 

"Wearing  robes  of  spotless  white, 
Not  coats  of  gray  aud  blue." 


3o8  Driftzvood  of  the  Stage. 


THE  ACTOR  AND  THE  ACTORS' 
FUND. 


A  tragedian  of  national  reputation,  sup- 
ported by  a  capable  company,  was  acting  a 
series  of  Shakespearean  characters  at  a  theater 
in  a  western  city.  At  another  house  but  a 
couple  of  blocks  distant,  at  the  same  time,  ap- 
peared a  young  prize-fighter,  who  having  just 
won  the  championship  was  thought  a  fit  sub- 
ject for  theatrical  honors.  The  tragedian 
played  to  empty  seats,  while  the  pugilist  was 
turning  away  hundreds  at  every  performance. 
One  night  the  real  actor  addressed  his  audience 
and  concluded  by  saying  he  did  not  see  why 
the  theater-going  public  should  give  its  pat- 
ronage to  prize-fighters,  outlaws,  and  men  of 
those  classes,  and  refuse  tp  recognize  true  art. 

In  the  hotel  lobby  one  day  the  tragedian  was 
approached  by  a  little  fellow  dressed  in  the 
height  of  fashion,  who  thus  accosted  him: 
"Say,  what  do  you  mean  by  goin'  'round 
knockin'  me  an'  me  show?" 


Driftwood  of  the  Stage.  309 

*'I  beg  pardon,  sir,  but  I  do  not  know  you,'* 
replied  the  actor. 

"You  know  me  all  right,  all  right.  Fm  the 
attraction  at  the  opposition  house,  that's  who 
I  am,"  said  the  little  fellow. 

"Indeed?  Well,  if  that  is  so,"  retorted  the 
actor,  "I  feel  doubly  sure  that  the  remarks  I 
made  in  reference  to  you,  sir,  were  perfectly 
appropriate." 

"Say,  old  man,  we'll  let  it  go  at  that,"  re- 
plied the  pugilist.  "We're  both  troupers  and 
ought  to  be  good  fellers,  and  if  that's  the  way 
you  feel  about  it,  I'll  accept  your  apology." 

The  theatrical  profession  is  recruited  from 
all  stations  in  life.  Of  course,  there  are  some 
w^ho  are  really  born  in  the  business.  In  that 
class  we  have  John  Drew,  Edgar  L.  Davenport, 
George  M.  Cohan,  Henry  B.  Harris,  and  hun- 
dreds of  others  whose  parents  were  well-known 
actors  and  managers  before  them.  Porter  J. 
White,  Frederick  Hallen,  Mark  Sullivan,  Otis 
Shattuck  and  Charles  J.  Ross  are  among  the 
many  who  entered  the  profession  when  very 
young. 

Then  there  are  others  who  have  left  trades 
and  professions  to  enter  the  theatrical  arena. 
Taking  a  few  names  from  the  list  of  prominent 


310  Driftwood  of  the  Stage. 

managers  it  will  be  noticed  that  A.  M.  Palmer 
was  a  librarian  at  New  York;  G.  E.  Lothrop, 
a  physician  at  Boston;  William  Harris,  cigar- 
maker,  St.  Louis;  Edward  Harrigan,  ship 
caulker,  New  York;  E.  D.  Stair,  newspaper 
publisher,  Howell,  Mich.;  George  H.  Nicolai, 
bookkeeper,  Milwaukee,  Wis.  Daniel  Frohman 
was  an  errand  boy  in  the  office  of  the  New 
York  Tribune,  and  Oscar  Hammerstein  was  in 
the  tobacco  business  before  he  took  upon  him- 
self the  task  of  erecting  and  managing  theaters. 
Richard  Hyde,  of  Hyde  and  Behman,  was  a 
hat  maker,  and  his  partner,  Louis  C.  Behman, 
was  a  clerk. 

John  W.  Vogel  was  a  druggist  at  Chillicothe, 
Ohio,  before  he  became  identified  with  the 
minstrel  branch  of  the  profession,  and  Al.  G. 
Field  was  a. house  painter  at  Columbus,  Ohio. 
A.  R.  Warner  was  a  clerk  in  a  music  house  at 
Detroit  Mich.,  and  Charles  A.  Altman  was 
employed  in  a  jewelery  store  at  the  same  city. 
William  C.  Cameron  was  a  furniture  dealer  at 
New  York;  and  William  T.  Keough,  reporter, 
Charleston,  S.  C.  Samuel  Tuck  was  a  dealer 
in  chandeliers,  and  Elmer  E.  Vance  was  a 
telegrapher. 

Among  the  actors  we  have  Frederick  Warde, 


Chrystai,  Hernk. 


Driftwood  of  the  Sta^e.  311 

who  was  articled  to  a  law  firm  at  London,  and 
Frank  C.  Bangs  took  to  the  stage  because  he 
could  not  make  money  at  the  law.  Otis  Skin- 
ner nailed  up  boxes  in  a  dry  goods  house  and 
edited  a  small  paper  at  Hartford,  Conn.  Eu- 
gene O.  Jepson  wrote  wrappers  for  the  Hart- 
ford Post,  and  Joseph  Wheelock  was  a  sailor. 

Eiben  Plympton  was  a  machinist  when  he 
lived  at  Boston,  and  Henry  Lee  was  a  butcher 
in  his  father's  shop.  Henry  E.  Dixey  was  a 
dry  goods  clerk  at  Boston  before  he  danced 
into  celebrity  as  the  hind  legs  of  a  paper-mache 
heifer.  Louis  Morrison  was  a  photographer, 
and  Willie  Edouin's  "Fun  in  a  Photograph 
Gallery"  was  based  on  Mr.  Edouin's  experiences 
in  the  same  trade.  Harry  Lacy  laced  shoes 
for  his  customers  in  a  Detroit  shoe  shop.  Cyril 
Searle  was  a  job  printer  in  England  and  a 
Herald  compositor  at  New  York.  Robert  C. 
Hilliard  was  in  a  broker's  office. 

Sam  Bernard  was  a  decorator  and  paper- 
hanger,  Nat  M.  Wills  was  a  printer,  Hal 
Stephens  a  druggist,  and  George  Sidney 
worked  in  a  hat  factory.  George  W.  Monroe 
was  a  type  founder,  Harry  Linton  held  a  posi- 
tion  of  trust   with   the   Wells-Fargo   Express 


^12  Driftwood  of  the  Staore. 

Company,  and  Billy  B.  Van  started  out  to  be 
a  scene  painter. 

It  is  said  that  more  printers  turn  actors  than 
people  of  any  other  trade.  Few  actors  leave 
the  stage  if  they  gain  success  on  it,  although 
a  few  of  them  go  into  management,  and  jour- 
nalism lures  them  once  in  a  while.  J.  Bernard 
Dyllyn  was  a  plumber  at  San  Francisco; 
Charles  A.  Mason,  a  tinsmith  at  Indianapolis; 
Peter  Randall,  tailor,  Boston;  Mark  Murphy, 
bartender,  San  Francisco;  Joe  Flynn,  composi- 
tor. New  York;  Frederick  Mosely,  hotel  clerk, 
St.  Paul,  Minn. ;  Joseph  J.  Dowling,  en- 
gineer, Pittsburg;  Harry  Mills,  jeweler,  New 
York;  J.  Royer  West,  confectioner,  Lancaster, 
Pa. ;  and  Harry  Blocksom,  iceman,  Phila- 
delphia. 

Sam  Morton  was  a  candymaker  and  so  was 
Harry  Yokes.  John  G.  McDowell  was  a 
cracker  baker,  and  R.  J.  Jose  a  blacksmith. 
Happy  Ward  was  a  tobacco  stemmer  at  Rich- 
mond, Va. ;  Charles  Savan,  paperhanger,  Grand 
Forks,  N.  D. ;  William  E.  Hines,  pressfeeder. 
New  York ;  Bobby  Gaylor,  butcher,  New  York ; 
and  Charles  W.  Young,  cabinetmaker,  Beaver 
Falls,  Pa. 

*         *         *         sK         jj<         :ic 


Driftwood  of  the  Sta^e.  313 

On  June  8,  1882,  the  people  of  the  State  of 
New  York,  represented  in  Senate  and  As- 
sembly, passed  an  act  incorporating  the  Actors' 
Fund  of  America.  The  articles  of  incorpora- 
tion contained  the  names  of  184  of  the  most 
prominent  members  of  the  different  branches 
of  the  profession,  headed  by  the  following,  who 
became  the  first  Board  of  Trustees : 

Lester  Wallack,  Albert  M.  Palmer,  Edwin 
Booth,  Edward  Harrigan,  Henry  E.  Abbey, 
William  Birch,  William  Henderson,  Joseph 
Jefferson,  John  F.  Poole,  Marshall  H.  Mallory, 
Phineas  T.  Barnum,  Lawrence  Barrett,  Wil- 
liam J.  Florence,  Joseph  K.  Emmett,  Henry  C. 
Miner,  John  H.  Haverly,  and  William  E. 
Sinn. 

The  object  of  the  new  organization  was  to 
advance,  promote,  foster  and  benefit  the  con- 
dition and  welfare  of  persons  belonging  to  the 
theatrical  profession  and  their  families,  and  the 
destitute  sick  belonging  to  the  theatrical  pro- 
fession. The  term  theatrical  profession  includ- 
ing all  persons  pursuing  the  profession  of  and 
earning  their  livelihood  solely  by  acting,  sing- 
ing, dancing,  managing  or  performig  in 
theaters,  opera  houses,  music  halls  or  circuses, 
as  well  as  any  and  all  persons  wholly  dependent 


314  Driftwood  of  the  Stage. 

upon  the  business  of  amusements  for  their  live- 
lihood. At  the  same  time,  the  American  Dra- 
matic Fund  Association  was  authorized  and 
empowered  to  unite  with  and  merge  its  funds 
and  moneys  with  the  funds  and  moneys  of  the 
Actors'  Fund. 

The  dues  were  placed  at  two  dollars  per  year, 
but  on  payment  of  fifty  dollars  a  life  member- 
ship could  be  secured.  The  revenues  are  mostly 
obtained,  however,  from  the  elaborate  benefit 
performances  given  throughout  the  country  by 
the  theatrical  profession  in  general,  some  of 
these  performances  being  the  grandest  ever 
known  in  the  history  of  the  stage.  There  have 
also  been  a  large  number  of  bequests  and  dona- 
tions to  the  Fund. 

One  of  the  first  benefits  given  for  the  Actors' 
Fund  took  place  at  Haverly's  Theater,  New 
York,  March  13,  1882,  M.  B.  Curtis  and  his 
company  appearing  in  "Sam'l  of  Posen."  On 
April  3  of  the  same  year,  matinee  benefit  per- 
formances were  given  in  fourteen  theaters  at 
New  York,  also  the  Brooklyn  theaters.  A 
number  of  donations  were  announced  from  the 
dififerent  stages  on  that  day,  James  Gordon 
Bennett  giving  $10,000.  The  benefit  at  the 
Boston  Theater,  April  12,  1883,  was  one  of  the 


Driftzvood  of  the  Stage.  315 

grandest  affairs  that  ever  took  place  at  that  city, 
as  well  as  one  of  the  most  successful  financially. 

A  triple  performance  for  the  benefit  of  the 
Actors'  Fund  took  place  February  4,  1886,  un- 
der the  management  of  Augustin  Daly,  Lester 
Wallack  and  A.  M.  Palmer.  At  two  o'clock 
on  that  day  J\lr.  Wallack's  company  appeared 
at  Wallack's  Theater  in  the  second  act  of  "The 
Rivals;"  at  three  o'clock  they  appeared  at 
Daly's  Theater  in  the  fourth  act,  and  at  four 
o'clock  they  appeared  at  the  Madison  Square 
Theater  in  the  last  act.  Mr.  Palmer's  company 
appeared  at  two  o'clock  at  the  Madison  Square 
Theater  in  the  first  act  of  "Engaged;"  at  three 
o'clock  they  appeared  at  Wallack's  Theater  in 
the  second  act,  and  at  four  o'clock  at  Daly's 
Theater  in  the  last  act  of  the  same  play.  Mr. 
Daly's  company  appeared  at  Daly's  Theater  at 
two  o'clock  in  the  first  act  of  "Love  on 
Crutches;"  at  three  o'clock  they  appeared  at 
Wallack's  Theater  in  the  second  act,  and  at  four 
o'clock  they  appeared  at  Wallack's  Theater  in 
the  last  act  of  the  same  play.  Mr.  Wallack 
addressed  the  audience  at  Daly's,  Mr.  Palmer 
at  Wallack's,  and  Mr.  Daly  at  the  Madison 
Square. 

When  the  Actors'  Fund  fair  was  held  at  the 


3i6  Driftwood  of  the  Sta^e. 

Madison  Square  Garden,  New  York,  in  May, 
1892,  the  younger  members  of  the  profession 
had  a  chance  to  show  of  what  service  they  could 
be  when  the  opportunity  presented  itself.  A 
noble  band  of  ladies  and  gentlemen  of  the  stage 
volunteered  their  services  to  the  cause  and  took 
the  heavy  burdens  from  the  shoulders  of  the 
older  ones.  They  took  charge  of  the  booths 
where  goods  were  displayed,  and  engaged  in 
friendly  rivalry  over  the  disposal  of  their 
wares,  and  some  eagerly  sought  votes  for 
friends  whom  they  wished  to  see  the  possessors 
of  the  valuable  prizes.  To  prove  that  their  work 
was  well  done,  it  need  only  be  said  that  it  was 
the  most  successful  affair  of  the  kind  ever  held 
in  this  country,  financially  and  otherwise. 

It  is  without  doubt  the  greatest  organized 
charity  in  the  entire  world.  It  is  harmony  that 
keeps  it  so.  The  names  of  the  most  famous 
stars  and  the  theatrical  mechanic  are  inscribed 
on  the  same  page.  The  manager  who  donates 
his  theater,  or  the  actors  who  cheerfully  journey 
from  other  cities  to  take  part  in  benefit  perform- 
ances, do  not  seem  to  think  they  are  doing  a 
bit  more  for  the  good  work  than  the  man  who 
has  charge  of  the  lights  or  the  girl  who  is  sell- 
ing programs  and  flowers  in  the  lobby. 


Driftwood  of  the  Stage.  317 

The  Actors'  Fund  Home  at  West  New 
Brighton,  Staten  Island,  N.  Y.,  opened  its  doors 
on  May  8,  1902,  with  the  Rev.  George  C. 
Houghton  and  Joseph  Jefferson  dehvering  the 
opening  prayer  and  address.  A  home  with 
every  modern  improvement,  with  over  fifty 
rooms,  lighted  by  electricity,  plenty  of  light, 
air  and  heat.  It  has  a  library,  billiard  room, 
pool  room,  in  fact  everything  requisite  to  make 
our  old  friends  comfortable.  The  actors,  the 
managers  and  the  public  contributed  over 
$100,000  to  erect  and  furnish  this  home,  and 
the  Actors'  Fund  of  America  owns  the  home 
free  of  any  incumbrance. 

The  ceremonies  commenced  at  three  o'clock 
in  the  afternoon.  Daniel  Frohman,  First  Vice- 
President  of  the  Actors'  Fund,  presiding.  Mr. 
Frohman  read  a  telegram  sent  by  Nat  C. 
Goodwin,  Maxine  Elliott,  James  O^Neill  and 
others  from  San  Francisco,  tendering  their 
greetings  and  congratulations  and  saying  that 
they  were  giving  a  benefit  that  day  for  the 
Actors'  Fund  Home,  and  would  send  a  check 
for  $2,000.  He  then  introduced  Mr.  Jefferson, 
who  said,  in  part: 

"First,  I  will  speak  of  the  importance  of  this 
home — the  great  importance  of  it.    The  theatri- 


3i8  Driftwood  of  the  Stage. 

cal  profession  is  increasing  year  after  year,  and 
it  stands  to  reason  that  in  years  to  come  there 
will  be  many  of  our  profession  who,  through 
sickness,  distress,  old  age  and  many  of 
those  unfortunate  incidents  that  are  apt 
to  follow  human  existence,  will  need  a 
sanctuary  and  a  shelter  for  their  old  age. 
And  let  me  sav  that  those  who  become  inmates 
of  this  home  can  enter  it  without  that  mortifica- 
tion which  usually  accompanies  the  reception  of 
charity  for  the  reason  that  they  have,  them- 
selves, directly  and  indirectly,  contributed  to 
the  fund  that  has  raised  this  beautiful  home. 
So  that  when  they  accept  it  they  will  be  in  the 
seat  of  their  inheritance. 

"Mr.  Al.  Hayman  was  the  first  contributor 
by  the  munificent  sum  of  $10,000  for  this  home. 
He  has  lived  with  it  a  year,  and  he  has  nobly 
done  his  work.  The  comfort,  even  the  elegance 
— and  I  say  even  the  elegance  advisedly — of  the 
home  as  it  stands  now  are  so  manifest  that  it 
will  be  a  great  comfort  to  those  who  enter  it 
as  a  sanctuary  for  help  during  their  declining 
years.  Mr.  Hayman  gave  this  sum  with  the 
understanding  that  a  large  sum  should  be  con- 
tributed by  the  theatrical  profession.  I  believe 
you  know  with  what  promptness  they  came  for- 


Driftwood  of  the  Sta^e.  319 

ward  and  poured  in  their  donations  to  the  Fund. 
Subscriptions  ranging  from  $25  to  $1,000 
poured  in  until  the  sum  required  was  raised 
within  a  few  days." 

Mr.  Hayman  being  called  upon  spoke  as  fol- 
lows: 

"There  stands  your  home.  I  am  only  sorry 
that  one  who  was  very  dear  to  you,  who 
labored  daily  to  bring  about  this  home,  is  not 
here  to  see  it.  I  refer  to  the  late  president  of 
the  Actors'  Fund,  Louis  Aldrich.  If  the  little 
I  have  done  to  help  erect  this  home  meets  with 
your  approbation.  I  shall  feel  more  than  re- 
warded. I  hope  in  later  days,  when  I  look  back 
at  the  good  the  home  will  do,  and  the  many  that 
it  may  shelter,  that  I  can  look  back  with  the 
same  degree  of  satisfaction  at  the  manner  in 
which  you  will  sustain  this  home.  We  have 
got  the  home.  It  is  beautiful,  as  you  will  see 
when  you  go  through  it,  and  it  is  up  to  you, 
ladies  and  gentlemen,  brothers  of  the  pro- 
fession, to  keep  in  ease  and  comfort,  for  the 
remainder  of  their  lives,  the  many  brothers  and 
sisters  that  have  worked  with  you." 


320  Driftwood  of  the  Sta^e. 


BURNING  OF  THE  BROOKLYN 
THEATRE. 


The  presence  of  mind  of  the  actor  in  time 
of  the  gravest  clanger  has  been  to  the  advantage 
of  theatergoers  on  more  than  one  occasion,  and 
it  is  known  where  actors  have  held  an  audience 
in  laughter  while  the  house  force  were  fighting 
a  fire  on  the  stage,  and  had  time  to  place  a  man 
at  each  exit  to  handle  the  audience  in  case  of 
danger. 

The  notion  that  real  heroism  is  inseparable 
from  war  is  passing,  and  there  is  less  inclination 
today  to  deify  a  man  merely  because  he  has  had 
a  hand  in  a  few  skirmishes  or  even  real  battles 
than  there  is  to  consider  those  qualifications  of 
unselfishness  which  find  manifestations  in  other 
capacities  than  shooting,  killing  and  maiming. 
It  is,  of  course,  true  that  a  war  affords  oppor- 
tunities for  what  we  are  accustomed  to  class  as 
heroism  in  superlative  degree,  but  it  is  not  the 
only  thing  that  affords  opportunities. 

There  has  been  no  more  adequate  demonstra- 
tion of  this  than  was  given  by  Eddie  Foy,  the 


Driftwood  of  the  Stage.  321 

comedian  of  the  * 'Bluebeard"  company,  that 
was  playing  in  the  Iroquois  Theater,  Chicago, 
when  that  theater  was  destroyed  by  fire  on  the 
afternoon  of  December  30,  1903,  and  578  per- 
sons lost  their  lives.  He  was  the  one  cool  in- 
dividual in  the  whole  theater.  When  the  flames 
from  the  burning  scenery  were  roaring  over  his 
head,  when  he  was  perhaps  the  only  one  who 
was  fully  aware  that  the  fire  could  not  be  con- 
trolled, he  stood  at  the  front  of  the  stage  and 
sought  to  calm  the  people. 

Between  exclamations  he  bent  over  toward 
Herbert  Dillea,  the  orchestra  leader, 

"Start  an  overture!"  he  commanded.  ''Start 
anything.  For  God's  sake,  play,  play,  play, 
and  keep  on  playing." 

The  brave  words  were  as  bravely  answered. 
Dillea  raised  his  wand,  and  the  musicians  be- 
gan to  play.  Better  than  any  one  in  the  theater 
they  knew  their  peril.  They  could  look  slant- 
ingly up  and  see  that  the  300  sets  of  scenery 
all  were  ablaze.  Their  faces  were  white,  their 
hands  trembled,  but  they  played,  and  played. 

Dillea — his  ranks  already  thinning  out  in  the 
orchestra  pit — struck  up  the  "Sleeping  Beauty 
and  the  Beast"  overture.  Of  the  thirty  odd 
musicians  in  the  pit  not  over  half  a  dozen  re- 


322  Driftwood  of  the  Stage, 

mained  to  follow  Dillea  and  his  baton.  But  the 
little  fellow,  ashen  pale,  his  eyes  glued  on  the 
raging  mass  of  flame  above,  never  whimpered. 
He  kept  right  on,  and  only  left  his  post  when 
the  flames  drove  him  away  from  his  leader's 
stand. 

Perhaps  these  two  brave  fellows  did  not  ac- 
complish much.  The  results  of  their  efforts  can 
never  be  reduced  to  numbers.  And  yet  the 
words,  the  music,  and  the  example  may  have 
had  an  effect  which  saved  many. 

During  a  performance  of  "If  I  Were  King,'* 
which  was  presented  by  Edward  H.  Sothern  at 
the  Providence  Opera  House  in  April,  1902, 
burning  stage  grass  for  a  few  moments  threat- 
ened to  take  on  a  realism  that  was  to  result  in 
an  interesting  panic.  The  lighting  for  the  gar- 
den scenes  in  the  second  and  third  acts  was  done 
from  overhead,  instead  of  from  the  wings.  A 
broken  arc  light  carbon,  falling  into  the  dyed 
excelsior  that  serves  for  grass,  started  a  furious 
blaze.  The  women  in  the  audience  began  to  get 
excited  as  the  fire  ran  over  the  stage,  but  Mr. 
Sothern  kept  on  saying  his  lines,  and  methodi- 
cally stamping  out  the  flames  until  all  were 
extinguished.     His  presence  of  mind  brought 


Driftwood  of  the  Stage.  323 

him  rounds  of  applause  from  the  auditors,  and 
the  play  went  on. 

Other  incidents  have  occurred  lo  show  that 
actors  can  personate  in  dead  earnest  the  self- 
possessed,  dashing  heroes  whom  they  portray 
so  perfectly  in  the  mimic  world.  Some  years 
ago  Lester  Wallack  appeared  in  a  performance 
of  a  play  called  "Home,"  at  his  own  theater  in 
New  York.  Shortly  after  he  appeared  in  the 
character  of  Colonel  White,  only  to  be  ordered 
from  the  house  of  his  stage  father,  a  person 
in  the  audience  called  out  to  him  in  alarm, 
"Look  behind  you !"  As  he  turned  he  saw  that 
the  candle  on  the  mantelpiece  had  burned  down 
to  the  socket,  and  the  paper  wrapped  around  it 
had  caught  fire  to  the  imminent  danger  of  a 
curtain  which  in  another  second  would  be 
ablaze.  Mr.  Wallack  coolly  drew  the  candle- 
stick away  from  the  curtain,  holding  it  while 
the  hot  wax  fell  fast  upon  his  hand  and  re- 
peated his  lines  as  if  nothing  had  happened. 
Had  he  shown  the  slightest  nervousness  it 
might  have  caused  one  of  those  panics  in  which 
the  spectators  Ipse  their  wits  and  stampede  like 
a  lot  of  sheep.  Soon  the  house,  assured  by  his 
manner  and  the  extinguishing  of  the  flames, 
burst  into  a  round  of  applause.     Mr.  Wallack 


324  Driftwood  of  the  Stage. 

repeated  the  lines,  "Well,  the  Governor  has 
turned  me  out  of  the  house" — and  added  im- 
promptu— "but  I  have  the  satisfaction  of  know- 
ing that  I  have  been  instrumental  in  saving 
the  place  from  destruction  by  fire." 

During  the  production  of  "Faust"  at  the 
Trimble  Opera  House,  Albany,  N.  Y.,  in  Oc- 
tober, 1 87 1,  there  was  a  narrow  escape  from  a 
serious  accident.  It  was  in  the  temptation  scene 
where  Lottie  Angus  appeared  as  a  beautiful 
witch,  arrayed  in  a  costume  of  the  lightest  kind 
of  gauze.  This  scene  was  attended  with  a  dis- 
play of  fireworks,  and  the  dress  of  the  fair 
tempter  caught  fire.  For  a  moment  the  aud- 
ience was  treated  to  a  sensation  not  on  the  bills, 
but  Harold  Fosberg,  the  Faust  of  the  evening, 
was  equal  to  the  situation.  Seeing  the  danger, 
with  one  sweep  of  his  arm  he  tore  the  burning 
drapery  from  the  frightened  lady,  and  she 
sprang  behind  the  scenes  unharmed.  The  next 
night  she  was  not  so  fortunate.  Contrary  to 
orders,  fireworks  were  again  used.  Her  drap- 
ery caught  fire,  and  this  time  she  was  severely 
burned. 

Blanche  Walsh  had  a  narrow  escape  from 
serious  injury  during  the  presentation  of  Tol- 
stoi's "Resurrection"  at  the  Victoria  Theater, 


Driftzvood  of  the  Stage.  325 

New  York,  in  April,  1903.  A  lamp  used  in 
one  of  the  scenes  set  fire  to  Miss  Walsh's  hair 
and  she  rushed  from  the  stage.  Joseph 
Haworth,  her  leading  man,  caught  her  in  the 
wings  and  extinguished  the  flames  before  the 
lady  had  been  seriously  burned.  Then  she  went 
on  with  the  scene  as  if  it  were  a  part  of  the' 
play. 

An  unknown  number  of  people  owe  their 
lives  to  John  Philip  Sousa.  On  one  occasion 
he  was  playing  to  an  audience  of  12,000  people 
at  St.  Louis,  when  the  electric  lights  in  the  hall 
suddenly  went  out.  Some  one  shouted  ''Fire !" 
and  an  ominous  rustle  made  Itself  heard 
through  the  gloom.  Rap,  rap,  went  Sousa's 
baton,  and  without  an  instant's  hesitation  the 
band  burst  forth  into  "Oh,  Dear,  What  Can  the 
Matter  Be?"  The  uneasy  rustle  turned  to  a 
ripple  of  laughter,  and  when  this  air  was  rapidly 
followed  by  "Wait  Till  the  Clouds  Roll  By"  a 
roar  of  merriment  showed  that  the  situation 
was  saved. 

The  cool  head  of  Florence  Reed,  when  she 
was  leading  lady  of  the  Fifth  Avenue  Theater 
Stock  Company  at  New  York,  once  saved  Mr. 
Proctor's  playhouse  from  possible  destruction. 
Just  before    the    end    of   the    farce,  "Who  is 


326  Driftwood  of  the  Stage. 

Brown?"  a  grate  fire  used  in  the  scene  got  out 
of  order  and  blazed  up  dangerously  near  a 
lambrequin  used  for  draping  the  mantelpiece. 
Miss  Reed  noticed  it  at  her  entrance,  and  while 
delivering  her  lines  threw  a  quick  aside  to  some 
one  in  the  wings,  giving  the  alarm  without  be- 
traying her  agitation  to  the  audience.  Paul 
McAllister,  who  was  also  on  the  stage  at  the 
time,  walked  over  and  tried  to  stamp  out  the 
flames,  repeating  his  lines  at  the  same  time. 
Frederick  Bond,  as  the  butler,  walked  in  at  this 
juncture  with  a  pail  of  water,  and  pretending  to 
put  coal  on  the  fire,  made  a  quick  finish  to  what 
might  have  developed  into  a  serious  catastrophe. 
None  of  the  players  lost  either  their  heads  or 
their  lines,  and  the  play  went  on  smoothly  to 
the  end  as  though  nothing  had  happened. 

Great  care  is  now  exercised  for  the  protec- 
tion of  the  theatergoers  in  case  of  fire,  and  many 
theaters  have  an  organized  force  among  their 
employes  for  such  emergencies.  Their  plan  of 
defense  is  a  simple  one,  and  is  started  by  num- 
bering sixteen  employes  in  each  theater.  The 
first-floor  ticket  taker  is  No.  i,  the  chief  usher 
is  No.  2,  the  aisle  ushers  follow  as  Nos.  3,  4, 
5  and  6,  the  orchestra  leader  is  No.  7,  and  then 
come  nine  of  the  men  on  the  stage  and  in  the 


Driftzvood  of  the  Stage.  327 

flies  to  complete  the  sixteen.  At  the  first  sign 
of  fire  or  smoke  in  any  part  of  the  theater  Nos. 
I,  7,  8  and  12  hear  a  buzzer  conveniently  placed 
near  them,  to  be  sounded  only  in  case  of  fire, 
and  not  loud  enough  to  alarm  the  audience. 

At  the  first  sound  No.  i  quietly  tells  the  chief 
usher  and  his  assistants  to  look  sharp,  talk 
quietly  but  firmly  to  folks  who  may  become 
excited,  assure  them  there  is  no  immediate 
danger,  and  aid  them  in  leaving  their  seats,  if 
they  insist  on  doing  so,  in  orderly  fashion.  The 
orchestra  leader  immediately  strikes  up  a  pa- 
triotic air.  If  the  fire  is  on  the  stage,  the  stage 
manager  orders  the  asbestos  curtain  rung  down, 
and  steps  to  the  footHghts  to  assure  the  aud- 
ience that  there  should  be  no  excitement  as  there 
is  no  immediate  danger.  Other  stage  employes 
move  quickly  and  quietly  to  the  fire  hydrants, 
two  men  to  each,  and  while  one  attaches  the 
hose  the  other  carries  the  nozzle  as  near  to  the 
place  of  conflagration  as  possible.  The  man  at 
the  hydrant  then  awaits  the  word  from  the 
stage  manager  to  turn  on  the  water. 

It  was  on  December  5,  1876,  that  the  Brook- 
lyn Theater  was  burned.  The  number  of  killed 
and  missing  at  this  fire  was  never  known. 
Those  identified  numbered  284,  among  whom 


328  Driftwood  of  the  Stage, 

were  the  well-known  actors,  Claude  Burroughs 
and  H.  S.  Murdoch.  The  play  of  the  ''Two 
Orphans"  was  being  performed.  The  full  cast 
was  as  follows,  and  with  the  exception  of  Miss 
Morant,  Miss  Vernon  and  one  or  two  of  the 
minor  characters,  all  the  members  were  in  the 
theater  at  the  time  of  the  fire : 

Chevalier  de  Vaudry Charles  R.  Thorne,  Jr. 

Count  de  Linieres H.  F.  Daly 

Picard   Claude  Burroughs 

Jacques  Frochard J.  B.  Studley 

Pierre  Frochard H.  S.  Murdoch 

Marquis  de  Presles J.  G.  Peakes 

Doctor  of  the  Hospital H.  B.  Phillips 

La  Fleur H.  W.  Montgomery 

Officer  of  the  Guard John  Mathews 

Martin L.  Thompson 

De  Mailly M.  J.  Clements 

D'Estres George  Dalton 

Footman  E.  Lamb 

Antoine  R.  Struthers 

Henriette j  The  \ ^^^e  Claxton 

Louise (  Two  Orphans    \    Maude  Harrison 

La  Frochard Mrs.  Farren 

Countess  de  Linieres Fanny  Morant 

Sister  Genevieve Ida  Vernon 

Marianna  Kate  Girard 

Julie  Ethel  Allen 

Cora Miss  L.  Cleves 

Sister  Therese Mrs.  L.  E.  Seymour 

Miss   Claxton    (Louise)    was   lying  on  the 


George  M.  Cohan. 


•  *  #•  • 

•  •/  •  • 

•  •    •    « 


Driftwood  of  the  Stage.  329 

straw  pallet  in  the  last  act,  and  Mr.  Murdoch 
(Pierre)  was  delivering  his  lines  when  the 
two  heard  a  whisper  of  ''Fire!"  from  behind 
the  scenes,  and  looking  up  saw  flames  issuing 
from  the  flres.  Mr.  Murdoch  stopped,  but  Miss 
Claxton  said  in  an  undertone:  "Go  on,  they 
will  put  it  out;  there  will  be  a  panic;  go  on!" 
He  resumed,  Mrs.  Farren  (Mother  Frochard) 
entering  in  the  meantime.  The  stage  hands 
were  all  the  while  trying  to  stop  the  flames  un- 
noticed by  the  house,  and  Miss  Claxton  de- 
livered her  little  speech  to  Jacques,  "I  forbid 
you  to  touch  me!"  which  was  greeted  with  ap- 
plause. Meanwhile  the  audience  had  begun  to 
suspect  something,  and  with  Miss  Claxton's 
words,  '1  will  beg  no  more,"  the  actors  were 
forced  to  move  by  reason  of  falling  embers, 
and  the  audience  rose  to  their  feet.  When  the 
blazing  fragments  began  falling  thick  and  fast 
the  audience  made  a  rush  for  the  doors,  and  the 
struggle  for  life  began.  The  ushers  tried  to 
enforce  order  in  the  maddened  crowd,  without 
avail.  Those  who  were  not  trampled  to  death 
were  suffocated  by  smoke. 

The  actors  held  their  ground  as  long  as  pos- 
sible, but  had  to  look  out  for  themselves.  Claude 
Burroughs  (Picard)  escaped  from  his  dressing 


330  Driftwood  of  the  Stage. 

room  only  to  meet  death,  and  Mr.  Murdoch  was 
never  seen  again.  The  four  people  on  the  stage 
displayed  much  coolness  and  bravery  under  the 
trying  circumstances  and  in  urging  the  audience 
to  depart  leisurely,  or  there  would  have  been  a 
much  worse  stampede — ^possibly  a  heavier  loss 
of  life.  Mr.  Studley  was  the  last  to  leave  the 
stage.  Pointing  to  his  associates,  who  were 
begging  the  people  not  to  get  excited,  he  spoke 
the  last  words  in  the  history  of  that  theater, 
which  were:  "Keep  cool.  We  are  between 
you  and  the  flames!" 

The  occupants  of  the  orchestra  chairs  and 
parquet  had  but  little  difficulty  in  making  good 
their  escape,  but  at  least  two-thirds  of  the  aud- 
ience were  in  the  dress  circle  and  gallery.  The 
loweft  estimate  of  the  number  in  the  gallery 
was  that  about  six  hundred  people  were  in  that 
portion  of  the  house,  and  from  these  were  most 
of  the  deaths.  The  exit  from  the  first  balcony 
was  down  a  single  flight  of  stairs  in  the  rear 
of  the  vestibule.  Down  these  stairs  the  people 
came  in  scores,  leaping  and  jumping  in  wild 
confusion.  The  gallery  exit  was  through  a 
tortuous  passage  which  made  escape  next  to  an 
impossibility,  and  was  soon  choked  up  with 
struggling   human    beings,    who   were     either 


Driftwood  of  the  Stage.  331 

trampled  to  death  or  suffocated  by  smoke  before 
the  roof  of  the  theater  fell  about  half  an  hour 
after  the  flames  broke  out.  It  was  nearly 
morning  before  the  extent  of  the  loss  of  life 
was  known,  and  the  morning  papers  went  to 
press  announcing  that  only  two  lives  had  been 
lost.  Daylight  revealed  scores  of  charred 
bodies  in  the  ruins. 

The  last  man  within  the  burning  building  had 
looked  around  the  lower  auditorium  and  saw 
no  one  there,  but  in  the  extreme  end  of  the  top- 
most gallery  were  imprisoned  hundreds  of  souls 
suffocated  by  the  volumes  of  smoke  that  poured 
down  from  the  burning  roof,  and  who  gave 
no  sign  that  they  were  miserably  perishing 
there.  The  following  morning  when  the  flames 
were  fully  under  control  and  the  firemen  began 
their  search  among  the  ruins,  the  explora- 
tion of  a  dreadful  pit  just  beyond  the  door  lead- 
ing into  the  street  discovered  a  sight  that 
made  strong  men  pale  and  faint,  and  disclosed 
a  scene  which  is  to  be  recorded  as  almost  un- 
paralleled in  history.  There,  piled  one  upon 
another  in  every  attitude  of  struggling  despair, 
was  a  mass  of  charred  and  agonizing  figures, 
just  as  they  had  fallen  with  the    end    of  the 


332  Driftwood  of  the  Sta^e. 

gallery  above,  where  they  had  met  altogether 
their  horrible  deaths. 

About  one  hundred  of  the  victims  were  given 
a  public  burial  at  Greenwood  Cemetery  on  one 
of  the  stormiest  days  ever  known.  The  grave 
was  a  circular  trench  fourteen  feet  wide  and 
eight  feet  deep.  The  earth  from  the  trenches 
was  piled  up  in  the  center  and  formed  a  cone 
twenty  feet  high.  The  inclemency  of  the 
weather  prevented  the  carrying  out  of  the  full 
program.  As  one  by  one  the  hearses  and 
wagons  came  up  and  deposited  the  coffins  in  a 
row,  the  German  singing  societies  united  in 
singing  Abf  s  "On  Every  Height  There  Lies 
Repose." 

When  all  were  placed  in  the  trench  the  Rev. 
Dr.  Parker  read  the  burial  service  and  Mayor 
Schroeder  scattered  earth  on  the  coffins.  After 
the  benediction  a  chorus  of  sixty  singers  from 
the  German  societies  of  Brooklyn  sang  KuUak^s 
"Abendlied,"  beginning : 

"Under  the  greenwood  there  is  peace." 


Driftwood  of  the  Sta^e.  333 


IN  FOND  MEMORY. 


Junius  Brutus  Booth,  after  his  farewell  per- 
formance at  the  St.  Charles  Theater,  New  Or- 
leans, November  19,  1852,  took  passage  for 
Cincinnati  on  a  Mississippi  steamer.  He  be- 
came very  ill  when  the  boat  had  started  up  the 
river,  fever  set  in,  and  he  died  November  30, 
1852,  far  from  home  and  without  one  of  the 
dearly  loved  family  near,  as  he  peacefully 
passed  away.  Edwin  Forrest  was  found  dead 
in  his  bed  by  a  servant  in  his  palatial  residence 
at  Philadelphia,  December  12,  1872.  Sur- 
rounded by  all  that  wealth  and  taste  could  give, 
he  died  alone,  deprived  in  his  last  moments  of 
a  friend  to  return  the  last  pressures  of  his  stif- 
fening hand.  James  W.  Wallack,  Jr.,  an  actor 
of  exceptional  charm  and  talent,  was  compelled 
to  retire  from  the  stage  on  account  of  failing 
health.  He  went  south  for  the  strength  he 
never  found,  and  he  died  in  a  sleeping  car  a 
short  distance  from  Richmond,  Va.,  on  his  way 
from  Aiken,  S.  C,  to  New  York,  May  24,  1873. 
George  W.  Jamieson,  a  favorite  actor  of  his 


334  Driftwood  of  the  Sta^e. 

time,  was  instantly  killed  by  an  express  train 
on  the  Hudson  River  Railroad,  near  Yonkers, 
N.  Y.,  on  the  night  of  October  3,  1868. 

Walter  Montgomery,  a  protege  of  Charles 
Kean  and  one  of  the  most  promising  actors  the 
country  had  ever  seen,  was  found  in  a  dying 
condition  by  a  friend  who  had  rushed  into  his 
room  after  hearing  a  pistol  shot,  in  September, 
1 87 1.  Whether  it  was  murder  or  suicide  has 
been  a  question  never  settled.  He  had  been 
married  but  four  days  previous  to  Winnetta 
Montague,  an  actress  of  handsome  form  and 
features,  who  at  his  funeral  wore  her  bridal 
wreath,  which  she  scattered  in  his  grave.  This 
lady  died  at  New  York,  May  27,  1877,  her 
beauty  a  wreck,  her  means  exhausted,  and  was 
buried  by  the  charity  of  the  profession.  Peter 
Richings,  the  venerable  actor  and  manager,  died 
January  18,  1871,  from  injuries  received  from 
being  thrown  out  of  a  wagon. 

Walter  Prior  and  H.  C.  Page,  quite  prom- 
inent in  theatrical  life,  were  killed  in  the 
Orange  Riot  at  New  York,  July  12,  1871.  Both 
were  members  of  the  Ninth  Regiment  of  the 
National  Guard,  and  fell  in  the  sharp  fighting 
that  occurred  at  Eighth  Avenue  and  Twenty- 
fifth  Street,  between  this  regiment  and  the  mob. 


Driftwood  of  the  Stage.  335 

They  were  given  a  military  burial  from  a  church 
on  the  north-east  corner  of  Fourth  Avenue  and 
Twenty-second  Street,  and  laid  to  rest  in 
Woodlawn  Cemetery,  New  York. 

Edouard  Remenyi,  the  great  Hungarian  vio- 
linist, dropped  dead  on  the  stage  of  the 
Orpheum  Theater,  San  Francisco,  Cal.,  on  the 
afternoon  of  Sunday,  May  15,  1898,  while 
playing  his  first  vaudeville  engagement.  He 
had  played  two  or  three  classical  pieces  and  re- 
sponded to  an  encore  with  ''Old  Glory."  The 
audience  of  nearly  three  thousand  people  were 
carried  away  with  enthusiasm,  leaving  their 
seats  in  their  excitement,  and  the  applause  was 
deafening,  Remenyi,  in  response  to  this,  be- 
gan to  play  Delibe's  "Pizzecati."  He  had  com- 
pleted but  a  few  bars  when  he  fell  forward  on 
the  stage  and  was  picked  up  dead. 

It  was  at  the  same  city  that  Henry  J.  Mon- 
tague passed  away.  He  had  been  acting  at  the 
California  Theater  in  "Diplomacy,"  and  made 
a  great  hit,  playing  to  enormous  business.  He 
was  compelled  to  retire  from  the  cast  for  a 
time  on  account  of  illness.  As  the  receipts  of 
the  theater  had  greatly  diminished  during  his 
absence,  he  determined  against  the  advice  of  his 
physician  to  play  again.     The  exertion  was  too 


336  Driftwood  of  the  Stage, 

much  for  his  enfeebled  condition,  and  he  died 
suddenly  soon  after.  It  had  been  arranged  to 
leave  Mr.  Montague  at  San  Francisco  when 
the  company  returned  east.  A  short  time  be- 
fore his  death  he  said  to  some  members  of  his 
company:  "Boys,  I  am  not  to  be  left;  the 
doctor  says  I  can  go  home  with  you."  A  few 
days  later,  he  who  but  a  few  years  before  had 
come  to  our  country  a  bright  and  handsome 
youth,  and  by  his  charming  manners  had  be- 
come an  idol  to  the  profession,  lay  dead  in  a 
lonely  room  in  a  hotel,  and  in  a  strange  city 
far  from  all  his  relations. 

Alexander  Herrmann,  the  magician,  who 
had  appeared  in  nearly  every,  city  of  importance 
in  the  civilized  world,  died  suddenly  from  heart 
failure  while  traveling  in  his  private  car,  near 
Great  Valley,  N.  Y.,  December  17,  1896.  Pat 
Rooney,  the  famous  Irish  comedian,  died  on 
a  ferry  boat  while  crossing  the  North  River 
from  Jersey  City  to  New  York,  March  28, 
1892. 

Mark  Smith  was  on  his  way  from  Milan, 
Italy,  to  America,  and  fell  speechless  in  the 
depot  at  Paris.  He  was  taken  to  the  St.  An- 
toine  Hospital,  where  he  died  August  11,  1874. 
His  remains  were  brought  to  this  country,  and 


Driftwood  of  the  Sta^e.  337 

the  funeral  services  were  held  at  "The  Little 
Church  Around  the  Corner"  two  months  later. 
Edward  Eddy  died  of  apoplexy  at  the  Island 
of  Jamaica,  December  16,  1875.  His  body 
was  brought  to  New  York  and  buried  from  the 
Masonic  Temple,  January  11,  1876.  Augustin 
Daly  died  at  Paris,  June  7,  1899.  I'he  re- 
mains were  brought  to  New  York,  for  inter- 
ment, the  funeral  services  being  held  in  St. 
Patrick's  Cathedral  at  that  city. 

During  the  run  of  ''The  Black  Crook"  at 
Niblo's  Garden,  New  York,  in  1873,  appeared 
a  bright  little  musician  about  seven  years  old 
by  the  name  of  James  G.  Speaight.  Not  much 
larger  than  the  violin  he  carried,  dressed  in  a 
bright  court  suit  of  blue  satin,  with  powdered 
wig,  silken  hose  and  buckled  shoes,  he  seemed 
the  smallest  performer  who  ever  stood  behind 
the  footlights.  As  a  musician  he  certainly  was 
phenomenal.  He  not  only  played  solos  on  his 
violin,  but  conducted  the  large  orchestra,  stand- 
ing on  a  pile  of  music  books  in  the  chair  of  the 
leader  that  he  might  be  seen  by  the  musicians 
he  led.  At  the  close  of  the  run  of  "The  Black 
Crook,"  December  6,  1873,  he  was  taken  to 
Boston,  where  he  played  in  "The  Naiad 
Queen,"  and  led  the  orchestra  of  the  Boston 


338  Driftwood  of  the  Sta^e. 

Theater  until  the  night  of  January  11,  1874. 
The  following  morning  the  little  fellow  was 
found  dead  in  bed. 

While  protecting  from  insult  one  of  the  ladies 
of  the  "Diplomacy"  company  of  which  he  was 
a  member,  Benjamin  Porter  was  shot  and 
killed  at  the  railroad  station  at  Marshall,  Texas, 
by  James  Currie,  a  noted  Texas  desperado,  in 
1879.  Maurice  Barrymore  was  at  the  same 
time  severely  wounded. 

Thomas  A.  Daly  died  July  20,  1892,  from 
the  effects  of  a  severe  beating  given  him  by  a 
cowardly  set  of  ruffians  armed  with  stage 
braces  and  clubs,  and  employed  as  stage  hands 
at  the  Academy  of  Music,  Chicago,  then  under 
the  management  of  Dan  Shelby. 

P.  S.  Gilmore,  a  musician  of  note  and  di- 
rector of  one  of  the  most  famous  military  bands 
of  the  country,  conducted  his  band  at  the  St. 
Louis  Exposition  on  the  afternoon  of  Septem- 
ber 24,  1892.  After  the  performance  he  went 
to  his  hotel  and  two  hours  later  was  found  dead 
in  his  room.  Castell  Brydges,  one  of  the  best 
singers  the  stage  ever  knew,  was  found  dead 
in  his  bed  at  the  Sherman  House,  Mt.  Clemens, 
Mich.  But  an  hour  or  two  before  he  had  gath- 
ered the  employes  of  the  hotel  in  the  dining 


Driftwood  of  the  Stage.  339 

room  and  sang  for  them.  William  Davidge 
died  on  a  railway  train  at  Cheyenne,  Wyoming, 
August  7,  1888,  while  en  route  to  San  Fran- 
cisco, with  the  Madison  Square  Theater  Com- 
pany, of  which  he  was  a  member.  His  death 
was  due  to  heart  failure.  The  body  was  brought 
to  Brooklyn,  N.  Y.,  for  burial. 

Actors  as  a  rule  love  to  die  in  harness.  The 
great  Moliere  was  playing  in  his  own  creation, 
'Xe  Malade  Imaginaire,"  when  he  broke  a 
blood  vessel.  Gallantly  he  struggled  on  to  the 
falling  of  the  curtain,  and  then  in  a  dying  state 
was  taken  to  his  home.  Charles  B.  Bishop  died 
on  the  stage  during  a  performance  of  *Xord 
Chumley,"  at  the  Lyceum  Theater,  New  York. 
J.  J.  Prior,  a  fine  actor  of  the  old  school,  died 
in  his  dressing  room  at  Toledo,  Ohio,  and  John 
Howson,  a  clever  comedian,  was  all  dressed  and 
ready  to  step  on  the  stage  at  Troy,  N.  Y.,  De- 
cember 16,  1887,  when  without  a  moment's 
warning  he  was  called  by  the  messenger  of 
death.  At  the  time  he  was  with  Lotta's  trav- 
eling company.  George  Jordan  died  in  his 
dressing  room  at  London,  England,  November 
15,  1873.  He  was  playing  Pygmalion  in 
"Pygmalion  and  Galatea."  '^ 

Charles  A.  McManus  was  found  dead  in  his 


340  Driftwood  of  the  Sta^e. 

bed  in  a  hotel  at  Big  Rapids,  Mich.,  on  the 
morning  of  December  ii,  1888.  He  was  a 
member  of  the  company  supporting  Mile.  Rhea, 
and  had  played  the  previous  night.  Frank 
Clements  was  instantly  killed  at  Newark,  N. 
J.,  May  8,  1886,  by  being  run  over  by  a  loco- 
motive. He  was  in  the  support  of  Mme.  Mod- 
jeska  at  the  time.  Edwin  F.  Mayo,  while 
conversing  with  some  friends  at  the  Chateau 
Frontenac,  Quebec,  February  19,  1900,  sud- 
denly reeled  and  fell  to  the  floor.  When  picked 
up  he  was  dead. 

On  the  afternoon  of  May  10,  1873,  a  large 
audience  assembled  at  Wakefield's  Opera 
House,  St.  Louis,  to  witness  a  performance  of 
"Mazeppa,"  one  of  the  most  popular  of  the 
equestrian  dramas  of  that  day.  Leo  Hudson 
was  the  star  of  the  occasion,  and  introduced  her 
famous  trained  horse.  Black  Bess.  Miss  Hud- 
son was  a  daring  equestrienne,  possessing  a 
strong  and  sweet  voice,  an  exquisitely  modeled 
form  and  a  handsome  face.  Her  fine  rendition 
of  the  part  made  her  a  favorite  throughout  the 
country,  and  crowded  houses  greeted  her  every- 
where. 

Many  will  remember  the  story  of  the  dash- 
ing young  hero,  fair  of  face  and  figure,  who. 


Driftwood  of  the  Sta^e.  341 

after  conquering  all  of  the. royal  gladiators  that 
dared  to  cross  swords  with  him,  proves  equally 
adept  in  love  affairs,  and  becomes  known  as 
"the  idol  of  all  the  women,  and  the  envy  of  all 
the  men."  The  fair  Olinska,  a  daughter  of  the 
reigning  household,  and  betrothed  to  another, 
being  found  in  his  embrace,  the  populace  are 
assembled  and  in  the  presence  of  their  ruler  he 
is  accused  of  treason  and  branded  as  a  spy  by 
his  jealous  rivals.  The  Castellan,  who  rules 
his  people  with  an  iron  hand,  orders  him  seized 
and  stripped  of  his  raiment,  and,  without  a 
chance  to  be  heard,  he  is  condemned  to  be  tied 
on  the  back  of  a  wild  horse  and  turned  loose  in 
the  mountains.  The  sentence  goes  into  effect 
at  once.  As  the  Castellan  cries  out :  "Bring 
forth  the  fiery,  untamed  steed!"  the  horse  is 
brought  on  by  several  attendants,  who,  at  the 
command,  "Bind  strong,  hempen  lashings  about 
the  villain's  loins,"  tie  the  victim  to  the  back 
of  the  infuriated  beast.  When  all  is  ready  the 
sentence  is  concluded  with:  "Let  the  beacon 
fires  be  lighted  on  the  mountain  tops,  and  may 
his  fate  strike  terror  throughout  all  Poland!" 

Amid  the  shouts  of  the  onlookers  and  the 
burning  of  red  fire  the  steed  starts  on  a  mad 
rush  up  the  mountain  with  its  precious  burden 


342  Driftwood  of  the  Sta^e. 

on  its  back.  On  this  occasion  the  horse  started 
up  the  run  as  usual.  It  crossed  the  first  and 
second  sections  in  safety,  and  was  fairly  started 
on  the  third,  when  the  horse  was  seen  to  slip. 
It  struggled  hard  but  could  not  regain  its  feet, 
and  with  a  loud  crash  both  horse  and  rider  were 
precipitated  to  the  stage.  Before  the  audience 
had  time  to  realize  what  had  happened  the  cur- 
tain was  rung  down,  and  everybody  about  the 
place  rushed  to  her  assistance.  She  was  picked 
up  and  borne  bruised  and  bleeding  to  her  home. 
The  injuries  she  received  proved  serious,  and 
she  died  at  the  same  city,  June  2,  1873. 

Lucille  Western  died  suddenly  in  her  room  in 
the  Pierrepont  House,  Brooklyn,  N.  Y.,  Jan- 
uary II,  1877,  in  the  midst  of  an  engagement 
she  was  playing  at  the  Park  Theater,  under 
Colonel  Sinn's  management.  Pneumonia  was 
the  cause  of  her  death.  She  was  playing  Nancy 
Sykes  in  "Oliver  Twist,"  and  Margaret  Rook- 
ley  in  "The  Child  Stealer,"  and  fulfilled  her 
engagement  up  to  the  Wednesday  night  of  the 
week  for  which  she  was  engaged.  She  ap- 
peared in  the  former  character  at  the  matinee 
on  that  day,  against  the  orders  of  her  physician, 
but  toward  the  end  of  the  play  she  was  unable 
to  speak  above  a  whisper.    In  the  last  act,  when 


Driftzvood  of  the  Stage.  343 

Nancy  Sykes  draws  herself  across  the  stage, 
covered  with  blood,  after  the  fierce  encounter 
with  her  husband.  Bill  Sykes,  he  having  dis- 
covered that  "Yer  tried  ter  give  me  up  ter  the 
perlice,  did  yer?"  (a  piece  of  stage  realism  in 
which  Miss  Western  excelled),  she  was  phy- 
sically incapable  of  going  on,  and  one  of  the 
stock  actresses  took  her  place.  She  was  taken 
to  the  Pierrepont  House  in  a  coach,  and  about 
eight  o'clock  that  night  passed  away. 

It  was  on  the  night  of  November  30,  1882, 
that  Frank  Frayne  shot  and  killed  Annie  Von 
Behren  on  the  stage  of  the  Coliseum  Theater, 
Cincinnati.  Frayne  was  playing  in  "Si  Slo- 
cum,"  a  sort  of  travesty  on  "Wiliam  Tell,"  and 
took  the  part  of  Si  Slocum  and  Miss  Von 
Behren  that  of  Ruth  Slocum,  his  wife.  Si,  who 
had  been  taken  prisoner,  was  to  get  his  free- 
dom if  he  shot  an  apple  from  his  wife's  head 
while  standing  with  his  back  toward  her.  He 
had  performed  the  feat  in  the  principal  cities 
of  the  country,  but  on  this  night  a  catch  spring 
gave  way,  and  the  bullet  from  his  rifle  struck 
Miss  VonBehren  in  the  forehead  and  she  fell 
to  the  floor.  Frayne  ran  to  her  side  and  fell 
in  a  faint  beside  her.  She  died  within  half  an 
hour. 


344  Driftwood  of  the  Stage. 

In  1898  Ethel  Marlowe  died  from  heart  dis- 
ease at  the  Empire  Theater,  New  York,  during 
a  performance  of  "The  Christian."  Her  sister, 
Virginia  Marlowe,  in  1896,  and  her  father, 
Owen  Marlowe,  in  1876,  also  died  on  the  stage 
in  view  of  the  audience. 

To  die  on  the  stage  while  bowing  acknowl- 
edgement of  an  encore  was  the  fate  of  Jennie 
Reed,  an  elocutionist,  who  was  giving  readings 
at  Lansingburg,  N.  Y.,  in  November,  1902. 
She  had  finished  a  selection,  and  in  response 
to  an  encore,  stood  bowing  to  her  audience. 
Suddenly  she  gasped,  threw  up  her  hands  and 
fell  face  forward  on  the  stage.  She  did  not 
regain  consciousness,  and  died,  the  fall  having 
fractured  her  skull. 

Consumption  had  fastened  itself  on  Irma 
Golz,  an  opera  singer  who  was  well  known  in 
Austria.  Her  physician  was  compelled  to  ap- 
prise her  of  the  fact,  and  order  the  cancella- 
tion of  arrangements  for  a  tour  of  Europe  and 
America.  At  midnight  she  asked  that  she  be 
removed  from  her  bed  to  an  arm  chair,  and 
that  she  be  dressed  in  the  costume  of  her  favor- 
ite character  in  "La  Traviata."  Having  said 
farewell  to  her  husband  and  relatives,  the  room 
was  brilliantly  illuminated  at  her  request,  and 


Driftwood  of  the  Stage.  345 

her  brother  played  Mendelssohn's  "Fruehlings- 
lied"  on  the  piano.  The  dying  woman  followed 
the  music  with  her  voice  until  with  the  words 
"earth  to  earth,"  she  fell  forward  to  the  floor, 
dead. 

A  sad  ending,  indeed,  was  the  lot  of  poor 
Polly  McDonald.  Her  clothes  caught  fire  and 
she  was  burned  to  death  at  the  City  Hotel, 
Providence,  R.  I.,  in  189 1. 


346  Driftwood  of  the  Stage. 


IN   POSITIONS   OF   HONOR   AND 
TRUST. 


Actors  very  often  disappear  from  the  public 
view,  and  it  is  wondered  what  becomes  of  them. 
Were  they  dead,  it  would  be  given  to  the  world 
by  the  newspapers.  But  where  are  they?  In 
some  cases  the  favorites  of  bygone  days  are 
pushed  aside  and  younger  ones  have  taken  their 
places.  What  pleased  in  their  day  is  not  wanted 
now.  Some  tire  of  theatrical  life  and  seek  other 
occupations.  Not  many  leave  it  with  a  com- 
petency. Some  retire  to  the  farm  to  spend 
their  days  in  peace  and  quiet.  Others  take  up 
a  mercantile  life.  We  find  them  in  all  kinds  of 
business  and  in  different  localities. 

It  very  often  occurs  that  those  in  the  pro- 
fession are  called  to  positions  of  honor  and 
trust  by  the  people.  They  seem  to  be  especially 
fitted  to  fill  positions  in  the  public  service.  The 
discipline  to  which  they  have  been  subjected 
in  the  theater,  and  the  knowledge  that  success 
can  only  be  attained  by  close  attention  to  the 
needs  of  the  people,  are  of  great  help  to  them. 


Driftwood  of  the  Stage.  347 

Furthermore,  there  has  never  been  a  case  where 
one  of  them  ever  violated  the  confidence  and 
trust  reposed  in  him.  Of  course,  it  would  be 
impossible  to  here  attempt  to  name  all  those 
who  have  been  thus  honored,  but  some  of  those 
prominent  in  the  amusement  world  may  prove 
of  interest. 

Nathaniel  P.  Banks  was  an  actor,  and  played 
Claude  Melnotte  to  the  Pauline  of  Charlotte 
Cushman  in  "The  Lady  of  Lyons."  He  be- 
came a  major-general  of  volunteers  and  one  of 
the  most  conspicuous  figures  in  the  civil  war. 
He  was  governor  of  Massachusetts  for  two 
terms,  and  also  served  many  years  in  the  House 
of  Representatives,  and  as  speaker  of  that  body. 
Daniel  McAuley,  who  rose  to  the  position  of 
major-general  in  the  civil  war,  and  who  was 
mayor  of  Indianapolis  for  three  or  four  terms, 
was  an  actor. 

H.  A.  W.  Tabor  was  in  theatrical  life  many 
years  before  he  became  governor  of  Colorado. 
He  also  served  in  the  United  States  Senate 
from  that  state,  and  filled  the  position  with 
marked  ability  and  dignity.  Heber  Wells,  who 
became  governor  of  Utah,  was  an  amateur 
actor  of  much  talent.  When  James  H.  Stod- 
dart  went  to  Salt  Lake  City  to  put  on  "Saints 


348  Driftwood  of  the  Sta^e. 

and  Sinners"  for  a  week's  run,  under  the  aus- 
pices of  an  amateur  association,  Mr.  Wells 
played  the  part  of  Ralph  Kingsley  in  a  manner 
that  would  have  been  creditable  to  any  profes- 
sional actor.  George  W.  Peck,  who  was  re- 
sponsible for  "Peck's  Bad  Boy,"  became  mayor 
of  Milwaukee,  and  later  governor  of  Wiscon- 
sin. 

Robert  Taylor  was  an  amateur  violinist  of 
ability  as  well  as  a  leading  lawyer  when  he 
accepted  the  Democratic  nomination  for  gover- 
nor of  Tennessee.  His  own  brother  was  his 
opponent  in  the  race,  having  received  the  Re- 
publican nomination.  When  "Governor  Bob," 
as  the  people  loved  to  call  him,  went  on  his 
campaign  he  took  his  instrument  along  and  in- 
terspersed his  speeches  with  sweet  music,  and 
fiddled  himself  not  only  into  the  hearts  of  the 
people,  but  into  the  governorship  of  the  state. 
C.  G.  Conn  was  a  professional  musician  in  his 
youth,  being  recognized  as  a  player  of  merit  on 
the  cornet.  Through  an  accident  a  serious  in- 
jury occurred  to  his  lip,  and  he  was  forced  to 
give  up  this  instrument.  He  did  not  become 
discouraged,  however,  but  turned  his  thorough 
knowledge  of  brass  instruments  into  good  use 
and  started  a  small  factory  for  their   manu- 


Driftwood  of  the  Sta^^e.  349 

facture.  This  factory,  which  was  located  at 
Elkhart,  Ind.,  became  one  of  the  largest  in  the 
world.  Mr.  Conn  was  elected  mayor  of  his 
city,  and  also  to  a  seat  in  the  state  leo^islature. 
He  afterwards  became  a  member  of  con,s^ress 
from  his  district. 

Charles  H.  Crisp  was  an  actor  before  he  be- 
came successively  judge,  member  of  congress, 
and  speaker  of  the  house.  Julius  Cahn  left  the 
stage  for  a  seat  in  congress  from  California. 
Henry  C.  Miner,  the  manager  of  many  thea- 
ters, was  sent  to  congress  from  his  district  in 
New  York,  and  James  J.  Butler,  manager  of 
the  Standard  Theater,  St.  Louis,  was  elected  to 
congress  from  that  district.  Timothy  D.  Sulli- 
van for  many  years  represented  his  district  in 
the  state  assembly  of  New  York,  and  later  was 
given  a  seat  in  congress  by  his  constituents. 
Dan  Rice  once  had  congressional  aspirations, 
and  put  up  a  strong  campaign,  but  was  defeated. 
Will  E.  English  served  a  term  in  congress  from 
his  district  in  Indianapolis. 

John  B.  Rice  retired  from  the  stage  and 
became  mayor  of  Chicago,  a  position  he  held 
for  many  years,  and  also  served  as  a  member  of 
congress.  He  was  one  of  the  pioneers  of  the 
theater  in  the  west,  and  all  the  famous  actors 


3  so  Driftwood  of  the  Sta^e. 

of  by-gone  days  appeared  under  his  manage- 
ment. Charles  Glidden,  a  once  popular  ban- 
joist,  became  mayor  of  Astoria,  Oregon. 

Thomas  M.  Patterson,  a  senator  from  Colo- 
rado, at  one  time  was  a  circus  manager,  being 
associated  with  two  other  young  men  from  his 
home  city,  Crawfordsville,  Ind.  John  T.  Ford 
was  elected  president  of  the  city  council  of 
Baltimore,  Md.,  and  by  force  of  circumstances 
was  acting  mayor  of  the  city  for  two  years,  and 
filled  the  office  with  marked  ability.  He  was 
manager  of  the  theater  in  which  President  Lin- 
coln met  his  death.  He  was  arrested  at  the 
time  and  kept  in  confinement  for  a  short  period. 
It  was  clearly  proven  that  he  knew  nothing  of 
the  conspiracy  and  he  was  discharged  and 
exonerated  from  all  blame. 

James  E.  Boyd,  at  one  time  manager  of 
Boyd's  Opera  House,  Omaha,  Neb.,  was  elected 
governor  of  his  state.  Robert  Taylor  Conrad, 
w^ho  gave  to  the  stage  several  plays  of  distinc- 
tion, served  the  city  of  Philadelphia  as  mayor. 
His  first  play,  ''Conrad,  of  Naples,"  was  pro- 
duced by  James  E.  Murdoch.  He  wrote  "J^^k 
Cade"  for  A.  A.  Addams,  who  failed  in  it.  Mr. 
Conrad  rewrote  the  play  for  Edwin  Forrest, 


Driftwood  of  the  Sta^e.  351 

changing  the  name  from  "The  Noble  Yeoman" 
(its  original  title)  to  ''Jack  Cade." 

E.  B.  Sweet  landed  in  Poughkeepsie,  N.  Y., 
in  advance  of  "Washburn's  Last  Sensation" 
many  years  ago.  He  liked  the  town  and  the 
people.  They  elected  him  an  alderman,  and  he 
served  in  that  capacity  for  a  long  time.  Louis 
C.  Behman  was  an  alderman  at  Brooklyn,  N. 
Y.  King  Cobb,  manager  of  the  Grand  Opera 
House,  Evansville,  Ind.,  became  chief  of  police 
at  that  city. 

Kyrle  Bellew  at  one  time  held  a  commission 
in  the  British  navy,  being  attached  to  the 
cruiser  "Conway,"  and  for  eight  years  followed 
the  sea.  Thomas  Brougham  Baker,  actor  and 
manager,  was  the  adopted  son  of  John 
Brougham,  He  made  his  first  appearance  on 
the  stage  in  1847,  ^^^  played  regularly  with 
the  old  stock  companies  until  the  outbreak  of 
the  civil  war,  when  he  enlisted  in  the  Union 
army.  He  won  rapid  promotion  and  before 
the  close  of  the  war  had  attained  the  rank  of 
colonel.  It  was  almost  entirely  due  to  his 
personal  efforts  that  the  National  Cemetery  was 
established  at  Washington.  When  peace  was 
declared  Mr.  Baker  returned  to  the  stage  and 
made  a  number  of  long  tours  in  America  and 


352  Driftwood  of  the  Staf^e. 

in  England  with  John  Brougham,  Laura  Keene 
and  other  stars.  After  permanently  retiring 
from  the  stage  Mr.  Baker  re-entered  the  gov- 
ernment service  as  assistant  transportation 
agent  in  the  quartermaster's  department  of  the 
army.  He  remained  in  this  position  until  his 
death. 

A.  Oakey  Hall,  who  served  as  district  attor- 
ney and  also  as  mayor  of  New  York,  astonished 
the  public  shortly  after  the  expiration  of  his 
term  of  office,  by  appearing  as  Wilmot  Kinslow, 
a  lurid  character,  in  a  play  called  "The  Cru- 
cible," at  the  Park  Theater,  Broadway  and 
Twenty-second  Street,  at  that  city.  Charles  H. 
Hoyt  was  elected  to  a  seat  in  the  legislature 
from  his  district  in  New  Hampshire.  James 
B.  Camp  filled  the  office  of  city  treasurer  at 
Louisville,  Ky.,  and  Emil  Bourlier  for  many 
years  was  secretary  of  the  fire  department  at 
the  same  city.  Neil  Bryant  held  a  position  in 
the  treasury  department  at  Washington,  D.  C, 
and  Bill  Nye  was  postmaster  at  Laramie,  Wyo- 
ming. Buffalo  Bill  was  a  member  of  the  state 
legislature  of  Nebraska,  and  also  served  on  the 
governor's  staff  in  the  same  state.  It  does  not 
very  often  occur  that  a  person  in  amusement 
circles  becomes  the  president  of  a  national  bank, 


Driftwood  of  the  Sta^e.  353 

yet  P.  T.  Barnum  and  Pawnee  Bill  were  both 
honored  by  elections  to  this  position. 

John  Howard  Payne,  author  of  "Brutus'* 
and  sixty  other  plays,  as  well  as  the  celebrated 
song,  "Home,  Sweet  Home,"  and  at  one  time 
styled  the  "American  Roscius"  in  England,  re- 
tired from  theatrical  life  and  was  appointed 
United  States  Consul  at  Tunis,  which  he  held 
for  some  time.  Thomas  Nast,  the  artist  and 
lecturer,  and  who  should  be  justly  accredited  to 
the  amusement  world,  was  appointed  United 
States  Consul  at  Guayaquil,  Ecuador.  Both  of 
these  gentlemen  died  at  their  posts.  Charles 
Pope,  the  actor-manager,  was  for  a  long  time 
United  States  Consul  at  Toronto,  Canada. 

John  A.  Lane,  an  actor  who  was  long  in  the 
support  of  Booth,  Barrett,  and  Modjeska,  re- 
tired from  the  stage  to  accept  a  position  of  re- 
sponsibility and  trust  in  the  Philadelphia  post- 
office.  Bingley  Pales,  an  actor  of  great  promise, 
became  assistant  prosecuting  attorney  of  Wayne 
County,  Mich.  James  W.  Lingard,  after  re- 
tiring from  the  profession,  held  a  position  until 
his  death  in  the  revenue  service  at  New  York. 
John  J.  Enright  was  appointed  postmaster  at 
Detroit,  Mich.,  during  the  administration  of 
President  Cleveland. 


354  Driftwood  of  the  Sta^e. 

John  Whallen  was  appointed  chief  of  police 
at  Louisville,  Ky.,  and  during  his  administra- 
tion the  department  was  brought  up  to  a  high 
standard  of  efficiency.  He  also  served  on  the 
staff  of  the  governor  of  the  state  with  the  rank 
of  colonel.  Walter  L.  Thompson  gave  up 
theatrical  life  to  become  a  policeman  at  New 
York,  passed  through  all  the  grades  to  the  posi- 
tion of  inspector,  and  was  retired  with  that 
rank  after  more  than  forty  years'  service. 
James  Canoll  left  the  profession  for  a  place  on 
the  police  force  in  the  same  city.  He  rose  to 
the  rank  of  captain  and  was  in  command  of 
the  Ninth  precinct  at  the  time  of  his  death. 
Henry  Doehne  gave  up  a  position  as  musical 
director  at  McVicker's  Theater,  Chicago,  for  a 
place  on  the  police  force  of  that  city,  but  soon 
tired  of  it;  and  James  Carroll,  once  a  popular 
minstrel,  became  a  detective  sergeant  at  Brook- 
lyn, N.  Y.  John  McVicker,  a  former  vaude- 
ville performer,  became  a  justice  of  the  peace 
at  Boston,  Mass.,  and  "Biff"  Hall,  a  writer  on 
theatricals,  was  a  police  magistrate  at  Chicago 
at  the  time  of  his  death. 

Lon  Hayle,  a  once  famous  dancer,  became  an 
officer  in  the  Kansas  City  fire  department,  and 
many  modern  fire  appliances  are  of  his  invent- 


Driftwood  of  the  Stage.  355 

ing.  To  him  belongs  much  of  the  credit  for 
the  world  wide  reputation  of  that  department. 
Alexander  McBride,  a  favorite  actor,  was 
elected  an  alderman  at  Philadelphia,  and  con- 
tinued in  office  up  to  the  time  of  his  death. 
James  McColgan  was  manager  of  the  Inter- 
national Comique,  and  William  J.  Gallagher 
one  of  the  managers  of  the  Grand  Central 
Theater,  when  elected  aldermen  from  their  re- 
spective wards  at  the  same  city.  Jeppe  Delano 
became  an  alderman  at  Niles,  Mich.,  and  Louis 
Epstean  represented  the  second  ward  in  the 
common  council  at  Chicago.  W.  W.  Rapley 
was  for  a  long  time  a  councilman  at  Washing- 
ton, D.  C. 

Charles  Welch,  one  of  the  pioneer  vaudeville 
managers  of  the  west,  was  for  four  years  an 
alderman  at  Detroit,  Mich.,  and  James  H.  Kelly 
left  the  sawdust  arena  for  the  position  of  deputy 
city  clerk  at  the  same  city,  which  he  held  for 
many  years.  Patrick  Conly  was  an  alderman  at 
St.  Paul,  Minn.,  and  James  Fleming  left  the 
box  office  to  become  a  harbor  master  at  New 
York,  where  he  remained  for  many  years. 
Joseph  H.  Tooker  was  the  mayor's  marshal, 
school  trustee,  and  managed  a  New  York  theater 
at  the  same  time.    Eugene  E.  Schmitz,  musical 


356  Driftwood  of  the  Stage. 

director  of  the  Columbia  Theater,  San  Fran- 
cisco, Cal.,  was  elected  mayor  of  that  city  in 
1 90 1,  and  again  in  1903,  and  his  administration 
was  marked  by  much  ability.  Many  of  his 
ideas  for  the  beautifying  of  the  city  and  im- 
provements in  public  service  were  successfully 
carried  out. 

Mason  Mitchell,  a  popular  leading  man,  en- 
listed in  the  famous  regiment  of  rough  riders 
organized  at  the  outbreak  of  the  Spanish-Am- 
erican war,  and  commanded  by  President 
Roosevelt.  He  was  severely  wounded  at  San 
Juan  in  the  gallant  charge  up  the  hill.  Mr. 
Mitchell  was  honored  by  an  appointment  as 
United  States  Consul  at  Zanzibar  by  his  former 
commander  soon  after  the  close  of  the  war. 
Hugh  and  Henry  P.  O'Neill  were  clever  gym- 
nasts and  known  in  the  amusement  world  as 
the  Goldie  Brothers.  When  they  retired  from 
the  profession  they  became  school  teachers,  and 
both  were  made  principals  of  public  schools  at 
New  York.  To  them  was  entrusted  the  work 
of  preparing  the  first  ritual  in  use  by  the  Be- 
nevolent and  Protective  Order  of  EJks. 

J.  J.  McCloskey,  both  actor  and  author,  on 
his  retirement  from  professional  life,  accepted 
a  position  in  the  City    Court    at    New    York, 


Fi^orence;  Reed. 


Driftwood  of  the  Stage.  357 

which  he  filled  for  many  years.  Hubbard  Tay- 
lor Smith,  the  song  writer,  became  vice-consul 
general  of  the  United  States  at  Cairo,  Egypt. 
Mr.  Smith  is  best  known  as  the  author  of 
''Listen  to  My  Tale  of  Woe,"  and  other  com- 
positions. One  of  his  songs,  ''Sweethearts  and 
Wives,"  is  sung  on  every  naval  vessel  through- 
out the  world  at  mess  on  Christmas  night. 

Duncan  B.  Harrison,  actor  and  manager, 
offered  his  services  to  his  country  during  the 
Spanish-American  war,  and  rapidly  rose  to  the 
rank  of  lieutenant-colonel  of  volunteers.  Ezra 
Kendall  was  an  officeholder  at  one  time.  The 
following  is  an  entry  which  stands  on  the  re- 
cords of  the  town  of  Clean,  N.  Y.,  in  minutes 
of  the  village  trustees'  meeting  of  July  7,  1876: 
"Moved  and  carried  that  for  the  sum  of  one 
dollar  Mr.  E.  Fremont  Kendall  be  licensed  as 
public  crier  and  bell  ringer  for  the  village  of 
Glean." 


358  Driftwood  of  the  Stage. 


INCIDENT  AND   STORY. 


Theatrical  folks  have  strange  experiences; 
some  are  funny  and  others  are  far  from  it.  They 
adapt  themselves  to  circumstances,  and  as  a  rule 
nothing  surprises  them. 

Henry  Irving  and  his  company  were  playing 
"Faust"  at  the  time  of  the  great  blizzard  at 
New  York  in  March,  1888.  The  house  where 
they  played  was  one  of  the  very  few  theaters 
in  the  city  open  that  night.  Next  day  Mr. 
Irving  was  accused,  in  a  good-humored  way,  by 
the  press  of  hard-heartedness  in  compelling  the 
members  of  his  company  to  go  to  the  theater 
on  such  a  terrible  night.  They  had  never  seen 
a  blizzard  before,  and  none  of  them  realized 
what  it  was  like.  Every  single  member  of  the 
company,  however,  turned  up,  and  they  played 
to  one  of  the  most  crowded  and  enthusiastic 
audiences  they  had  ever  acted  to  in  their  lives. 

The  house  was  packed  from  floor  to  ceiling 
with — dead-heads.  Every  seat  in  the  house  had 
been  sold,  but  the  weather  was  too  bad  for 
tliose  who  had  paid  to  care  to  go  out.    On  the 


Driftwood  of  the  Sta^e,  359 

other  hand,  many  of  the  theaters  being  closed 
and  the  actors  not  playing,  they  went  to  see  Mr. 
Irving.  There  was  hardly  an  actor  in  New 
York  who  was  not  at  the  performance,  which 
was  a  unique  one  under  the  circumstances. 

3|C  ^  ^  ^  ^  2^ 

At  McVicker's  Theater,  Chicago,  April  23, 
1879,  Edwin  Booth  was  playing  in  **  Richard 
the  Second,"  and  had  reached  the  soliloquy  in 
the  prison  scene  of  the  fifth  act,  when  suddenly 
a  man  in  the  balcony  fired  a  shot  at  him  with 
a  pistol.  Mr.  Booth,  looking  up,  saw  a  man 
leaning  over  the  balcony  railing  and  raising  his 
pistol  for  a  second  shot.  The  shot  was  fired 
and  then  Mr.  Booth  slowly  rose,  stepped  to  the 
front  of  the  stage  and  looked  inquiringly  to- 
wards the  balcony.  He  saw  the  would-be  as- 
sassin, saw  the  pistol  raised  for  the  third  shot, 
turned  around,  and  deliberately  walked  back 
out  of  sight.  In  the  meantime,  his  assailant 
was  seized  from  behind,  and  was  not  permitted 
to  pull  the  trigger  for  the  third  time.  Much 
coolness  was  displayed  by  Mr.  Booth,  who  in 
a  short  time  reappeared  on  the  stage  and  fin- 
ished the  act.  The  shots  were  fired  by  a  stage- 
struck  lunatic  named  Mark  Gray.  He  was 
promptly  arrested  and  confined.     He  said  he 


360  Driftwood  of  the  Stage, 

was  a  clerk,  a  resident  of  St.  Louis,  Mo., 
twenty-three  years  old,  had  for  three  years  been 
preparing  to  kill  Mr.  Booth,  and  much  re- 
gretted his  failure.  For  some  time  he  was  con- 
fined in  the  lunatic  asylum  at  Elgin,  111.,  but 
ultimately  was  released  through  the  intercession 
of  friends.  Mr.  Booth  had  one  of  the  bullets 
set  in  a  gold  cartridge,  and  kept  it  as  a  me- 
mento, wearing  it  attached  to  his  watch  chain. 

During  the  tour  that  Kyrle  Bellew  and  Mrs. 
Potter  made  around  the  world  they  appeared 
before  the  smallest  audience  ever  heard  of. 
Not  only  was  it  the  smallest,  but  it  was  the 
most  amusing.  The  place  was  Hyderabad, 
India,  and  the  audience  contained  two  people. 
One  of  these  was  the  mizan,  the  chief  native 
prince  of  India. 

The  mizan  had  an  English  secretary,  and  this 
youth  urged  the  potentate  to  send  a  train  of 
elephants  and  a  retinue  of  servants  to  meet  the 
actors  when  they  arrived  at  the  railway  station. 
This  he  did,  and  they  were  borne  in  state  to  the 
royal  palace  at  Hyderabad.  There  they  had 
two  days  of  delightful  repose  until  the  mizan 
should  desire  their  presence  to  interpret  the 
great  English  playwright.     They  appeared  be- 


Driftwood  of  the  Stage.  361 

fore  his  lordship,  and  delivered  scenes  from 
the  Shakespearean  tragedies  and  comedies.  The 
mizan  sat  high  on  his  throne  of  brilliant  stones, 
shaded  by  a  canopy,  and  every  once  in  a  while 
Mr.  Bellew  would  say  to  Mrs.  Potter  under 
his  breath,  *'What  strict  attention  he  does  pay. 
I  wonder  if  he  understands  it?"  To  this  Mrs. 
Potter  would  reply:  "He  has  not  moved  in 
twenty  minutes."  And  this  was  true.  It  was 
not  until  they  were  leaving  the  palace  that  it 
was  found  out  from  the  English  secretary,  who 
had  been  the  other  auditor,  that  his  highness, 
the  mizan,  had  slept  in  supreme  comfort  during 
the  entire  recital. 

An  incident  that  was  not  soon  forgotten 
happened  at  a  benefit  for  the  Elks  at  Denver, 
Col.  The  performance  was  made  up  of  volun- 
teered acts.  One  of  these  was  the  shambles 
scene  from  "Virginius,"  presented  by  Frederick 
Warde,  and  another  was  a  negro  act  by  Johnny 
Ray,  whose  turn  came  just  ahead  of  Mr. 
Warde's,  which  was  unfortunate  for  both  of 
them.  Ray's  act  was  ended  when  a  big  pro- 
perty bug  descended  from  the  flies,  hooked  it- 
self on  to  his  belt  at  the  back — with  his  assist- 
ance, of  course — ^and  then  lifted  him  kicking 


362  Driftwood  of  the  Sta^e. 

and  gasping,  to  the  tipper  regions.  As  he  dis- 
appeared the  curtain  fell  and  he  was  to  have 
been  lowered  to  the  stage.  The  rope,  however, 
caught  in  the  pulley,  and  try  as  hard  as  they 
could,  the  stage  hands  failed  to  release  him. 

There  hung  Ray  dangling  in  thin  air,  with 
that  leather  belt  eating  its  way  into  his  tender 
w^aist  places.  When  they  found  they  could  not 
get  him  down,  up  went  the  curtain  and  on  came 
Mr.  Warde.  He  knew  Ray  was  up  there.  He 
could  not  forget  it.  Every  moment  or  two  he 
would  look  in  that  direction  and  slide  away 
from  beneath  him.  He  forgot  his  lines,  he  for- 
got the  business,  and  when  Ray  groaned — that 
belt  hurt  him  so — he  all  but  bolted  from  the 
stage.  Finally,  however,  he  managed  to  seize 
the  knife,  and,  advancing  toward  Virginia,  was 
about  to  inflict  the  fatal  stab  when  something 
gave  way.  It  was  that  belt.  Down  came  Ray, 
lighting  on  his  feet  like  a  cat,  squarely  between 
the  Roman  father  and  his  child.  Mr.  Warde 
dropped  the  knife  and  doubled  up,  and  poor 
Virginia  went  into  hysterics  as  a  mighty  roar 
arose  from  the  crowded  house. 

^         ^        :(c         s|(        Ne 

Despite  all  that  is  occasionally  said  to  the 
contrary,  there  are  many  hotels  in  thriving  cities 


Driftzvood  of  the  Stage.  363 

in  the  New  England  states  that  are  decidedly 
primitive  in  their  accommodations.  There  are 
mornings  when  water  either  for  the  bath  or 
for  laving  is  not  to  be  obtained  because  the 
pipes  are  frozen.  William  H.  Crane  thought 
he  reached  the  limit  in  one  city  in  New  Hamp- 
shire. He  got  to  the  hotel  from  the  opera 
house  about  half-past  eleven,  and  in  getting  his 
key  asked  that  some  ice  water  be  sent  him. 

*' Can't  do  it,"  said  the  young  man,  with  the 
red  tie,  who  stood  behind  the  desk. 

"Why  not?"  asked  the  actor. 

"Well,  you  see,"  he  replied,  "there's  a  troupe 
in  town  and  we  are  short  of  pitchers." 

A  burly,  red-faced  fellow,  who  was  warming 
himself  at  the  stove,  was  an  interested  listener 
and  he  burst  into  a  loud  and  hearty  laugh  as  he 
howled :  "Be  the  troupers  rushing  the  growler  ?" 

There  is  a  favorite  story  of  the  theater  that 
used  to  be  told,  and  well  told,  by  Augustin 
Daly,  and  concerned  a  resident  of  New  Jersey 
who  went  to  New  York  to  see  the  sights  and 
determined  to  attend  the  performance  of  "The 
Fortv  Thieves."  Stepping  up  to  the  box  office 
he  laid  down  a  five  dollar  bill  and  asked  for  one 
of  the  best  seats.    A  punched  coupon  and  three 


364  Driftwood  of  the  Stage. 

dollars  were  handed  him.  When  he  asked  what 
the  ticket  cost  and  was  told  two  dollars,  it  was 
evident  he  had  not  calculated  higher  tlfen  half 
a  dollar. 

''Two  dollars  to  see  'The  Forty  Thieves/ 
eh?"  he  repeated. 

*'Yes,  sir,"  replied  the  treasurer. 

"Well,  keep  your  durned  seat!"  exclaimed 
the  Jerseyman,  picking  up  the  three  dollars 
change.  "I  don't  think  I  care  to  see  the  other 
thirty-nine." 

He        H:        H:         H(        sK 

It  is  related  that  Mr.  Mansfield  once  sent  for 
a  well-known  actor  to  consult  about  undertak- 
ing a  part  in  his  proposed  revival  of  "J^li^s 
Caesar."  The  actor  was  one  of  those  that  ap- 
preciate their  own  importance. 

"Good  morning,"  said  Mr.  Mansfield,  with 
unwonted  cheeriness,  as  the  gentleman  ap- 
peared. "You  know  I  am  preparing  'Caesar.' 
I  have  a  capital  part  for  you;  but  before  we 
go  into  details  as  to  that  let  me  know  your 
salary."  As  he  spoke  he  turned  to  his  desk  to 
adjust  some  memoranda. 

"Four  hundred  dollars,"  replied  the  actor. 

Mr.  Mansfield  continued  his  work,  with  his 
back  turned    toward    his    visitor,    but    replied 


Driftwood  of  the  Sta^e.  365 

pleasantly :     ''You   will   please    shut   the    door 
when  you  go  out,  won't  you?" 

^  3|C  3|C  3JC  3|C  ^ 

Away  out  in  Nebraska,  one  Sunday  night,  a 
dramatic  company  was  sidetracked  at  a  some- 
what wild  little  village,  judging  from  the  cow- 
boys on  horseback  who  were  prancing  around 

the  rough  railway  station. 

Cowboys  are  a  quick-witted  lot.  They  soon 
found  out  that  the  company  carried  a  band,  and 
presented  a  vigorous  request  for  a  serenade. 
The  leader  demurred  on  the  ground  that  the 
music  might  interfere  with  the  services  of  a 
little  ("hurch,  lighted  brilliantly,  not  far  from 
the  station.  One  of  the  cowboys  said  that  when 
people  out  there  went  to  church  at  night,  every 
member  carried  his  or  her  own  coal-oil  lamp; 
and  that  custom  accounted  for  the  very  bright 
light  streaming  from  the  small  windows  of  the 
church. 

"Stranger,"  said  one  of  the  cowboy  gang, 
"will  y'  play  after  church  is  out  ?" 

"Yes,"  the  leader  grudgingly  replied,  "if  our 
train  is  still  here  we'll  play  when  church  is 
out." 

Quick  as  a  flash  the  cowboys  wheeled  on 
their  horses,  and  at  a  signal  dashed  away  at 


366  Driftwood  of  the  Sta^e. 

break-neck  speed.  Soon  a  great  racket  was 
heard  over  the  hill,  where  the  church  was  sit- 
uated. Pistols  popped  as  if  an  old-fashioned 
Fourth  of  July  celebration  had  been  let  loose. 
Then,  in  a  twinkling,  the  sound  of  flying  hoofs 
returned,  the  cowboys  crowded  up  around  the 
station  platform  again,  and  their  leader 
shouted : 

"Tune  up,  and  let  her  go,  stranger;  church 
is  out!" 

A  story  is  told  of  Richard  Harding  Davis, 
who  makes  no  pretense  of  being  a  pianist,  but 
who  does  play  the  guitar  and  sing  well.  -  Hav- 
ing composed  a  musical  setting  to  Kipling's 
"Danny  Deever"  with  that  instrument,  he 
picked  it  out,  quite  in  the  secrecy  of  his  home, 
on  the  piano.  The  accompaniment  to  his  voice 
consisted  of  a  few  chords,  which  from  frequent 
repetitions  he  fixed  in  his  memory. 

One  night  Mr.  Davis  was  at  an  evening 
party  of  musical  people,  many  of  them  cele- 
brated composers.  As  a  joke  some  one  asked 
him  to  play  one  of  his  own  compositions.  To 
every  one's  surprise,  he  consented,  and  boldly 
went  to  the  piano,  where  he  eyed  the  keys  in  a 
puzzled  way.    Turning  to  Paderewski,  he  said : 


Driftwood  of  the  Stage.  367 

"I  can't  find  the  starting  note.  I  composed 
my  tune  on  a  Steinway,  and  this  is  a  Weber. 
Where  should  the  note  that  is  under  the  W  on 
a  Steinway  be  on  a  Weber?" 

When  Ward  and  Yokes  were  playing  a 
western  town  a  few  years  ago,  they  noticed 
during  rehearsal  that  the  cornet  player  in  the 
orchestra  was  very  bad;  in  fact,  he  was  making 
notes  on  his  instrument  that  neither  one  of 
them  had  ever  heard  before,  or  had  any  idea 
could  be  produced.  The  comedians  stood  the 
discord  for  a  time,  and  then  realized  that  they 
must  ged  rid  of  the  offending  musician,  or  the 
night  performance  would  certainly  be  ruined. 
When  rehearsal  was  over,  Mr.  Ward  called  the 
musician  aside,  and  told  him  that  he  thought 
the  music  was  too  difficult  for  him  to  read,  and 
not  to  come  around  that  night  as  he  would  not 
be  allowed  to  play.  At  the  night  performance 
the  musician  showed  up  with  his  instrument, 
but  was  stopped  by  Mr.  Ward,  who  said: 
"Look  here,  old  man,  I  thought  I  told  you  not 
to  come  around  here  to-night.  Now  you  might 
as  well  go  home  as  we  will  not  let  you  play." 

The  musician  looked  at  Mr.  Ward  for  a 
minute  and  then  said:     "Well,  I  guess  I  will 


368  Driftwood  of  the  Sta^e. 

play  to-night  or  you  fellows  don't  play.  I  want 
you  to  understand  that  I  am  the  mayor  of  this 
town,  and  I  won't  give  you  any  license." 

Joseph  Jefferson  was  playing  on  one  oc- 
casion at  Minneapolis  when  a  committee  waited 
on  him  and  asked  if  he  would  not  consent  to 
appear  at  a  benefit  to  be  given  the  next  after- 
noon in  aid  of  the  families  of  several  firemen 
who  had  been  killed  shortly  before  while  in  the 
performance  of  their  duties.  Mr.  Jefferson 
consented  to  appear  and  deliver  a  talk  on  the 
drama. 

The  next  afternoon  found  a  large  gathering 
of  professionals,  including  a  number  of  vaude- 
ville performers,  all  feeling  honored  to  par- 
ticipate in  an  affair  of  that  kind,  especially  as 
they  were  to  "play  with  Jefferson."  Many 
stood  in  the  entrances  as  Mr.  Jefferson  began 
his  address  on  the  drama,  and  were  deeply  in- 
terested in  what  that  distinguished  player  was 
saying,  when  suddenly  a  frivolous  young  wo- 
man came  upon  the  scene.  She  was  blonde  of 
tress  and  wore  short  pink  skirts.  The  song 
and  dance  artist  was  indelibly  stamped  on  her. 
At  the  moment  Mr.  Jefferson,  with  rare  elo- 
quence,   was    referring    to    the    comedies    of 


Driftwood  of  the  Sta^e.  369 

Wycherly  and  Sheridan  and  Goldsmith,  all 
were  startled  to  hear,  in  a  loud  whisper  from 
somewhere  back  in  the  wings,  a  shrill,  girlish 
voice  saying:  "Hi,  Mame,  who's  on  now?" 

The  song  and  dance  lady  turned  her  head, 
and  whispered  back :  "I  dunno.  Some  old  guy 
doin'  a  monologue." 


INDEX. 


Abbey,     Henry     K.,     118.     !!«, 

136,     294,    313. 
Abbey,     Schoetfel,     and     Grau, 

216. 
Abbott,  Emma,   167. 
Ab€rle,   Jac,    126,   127,    128. 
Aberle,   l^ena,   126,    127,   128. 
Adams,    Edwin,    103,    132,    133 

268. 
Adams,   Eucille,   177. 
Adams,    J.     T.,     150. 
Adams,    Maude,    21. 
Adams,    Yank,    268. 
Addams,    A.    A.,    350. 
Aldrich,    Eouis,    110. 
Aldrich,   Thos.   Uailey,   79,   319.    | 
Allen,    Ethel,    328.  i 

Allen,   J.    H.,    285.  j 

Allen,  Johnny,    253,   256.  j 

Altman,    Charles    A.,    310.  | 

Ames,    Emil,    113.  I 

Anderson,  Mary,   133,  145,  243. 
Anglin,    Margaret,    121,    122. 
Angus,     Lottie,    324. 
Arbuckle,   Maclyn,    222,    223. 
Archer,   Belle,   173. 
Asche,    M.    G.,    49,    52. 
Ashton,    John    E.,    112. 
Atzerodt,    George,    234,    235. 

Backus,   Charles,   135,  252,   253. 
Bailey,    James    A.,    210. 
Baker    and    Earron,    262. 
Baker,   Thomas  Brougham,   351, 

352. 
Bangs,  Erank  C,  192,  220,  311. 
Banker,   Ed,    113. 
Banks,   Dolly,   174. 


Banks,    Maj.-Gen.    N.    E.,    299» 

347. 
Barilli,    Ettore,    127. 
Barnum,    E.   T.,    108,    150,   270, 

299,    313,    353. 
Barrett,   Lawrence,   76,   77,   105, 
117,  118,   133,  140,   187,  215, 
216,    301,    313. 
Barron,    Charles,    122,    135. 
Barry,    Billy,    112. 
Barrymore,  Ethel,  130. 
Barrymore,   Georgia  Drew,    131, 

167. 
Barrymore,    Maurice,    131,    338. 
Bartlett,    Jonas,   ^51. 
Bass,   Alden,   105. 
Bateman,   H.    E.,    191. 
Behman,     Eouis    C,    112,    310, 

351. 
Belgarde,  Adele,   180. 
Bellew,    Kyrle,   351,    360,   361. 
Benedict,    Alden,    110. 
Bennett,    James    Gordon,    314. 
Benson,    Jennie,    34,    262. 
Bentley,    Rev.    Walter    E.,    146. 
Bergman,    Carl,    195. 
Bernard,        Caroline      Kichings, 

172. 
Bernard,    Sam,    311. 
Bernard,    W.    S.,    252,    253. 
Bernhardt,      Sarah,      139,      169, 

220. 
Bidwell,   David,    304. 
Bingham,  Amelia,   137,   210. 
Birch,    William,    135,    252,    253, 

313. 
Bishop,    Charles    B.,    339. 
Bispham,    David,    130. 


372 


Index, 


Bispham,   William,   79. 

Blocksom,    Harry,    312. 

Blume,   John    H.,    49,    52. 

Bellas,    Tom,    267. 

Kond,    Frederick,    327. 

Boniface,    Stella,    135. 

Boos,    Addie,    174. 

Booth,   Agnes,    135,    138. 

Booth,  Asia  (Mrs.  J.  S.  Clarke), 
103. 

Booth,   Edgar,  79. 

Booth,  Udwin,  69,  70,  76,  77, 
78,  79,  104,  107,  114,  116, 
117,  133,  140,  187,  188,  216, 
227,  231,  236,  270,  313,  359, 
360. 

Booth,  Mrs.  Edwin  (Mary  Dev- 
lin),   79,    166. 

Booth,  Mrs.  Edwin  (Mary  F. 
McVicker),    79,    117,    166. 

Booth,  John  Wilkes,  103,  226, 
227,  229,  231,  232,  233,  234, 
270. 

Booth,    Joseph,    235. 

Booth,  Junius  Brutus,  103,  226, 
333. 

Booth,  Junius  Brutus,  Jr.,  117, 
227,    270. 

Bosworth,    Harry,    49,    52. 

Boucicault,   Dion,   135. 

Bourlier,   Emil,    352. 

Bouton,    Mabel,    174. 

Bowers,   Mrs.  D.  P.,  131. 

Bowman   and    Harris,    262. 

Bowron,  William  Lloyd,  48,  50, 
52. 

Boyd,    Belle,    175. 

Boyd,   James   E.,   350. 

Bradley,    Jimmy,   190. 

Brady,   James    W.,   53. 

Braham,    Joe,    190. 

Brewer,   John   H.,   53. 


Brookes,     Mrs.    Elizabeth,    250, 

252. 
Brookes,   George,   269. 
Brookyn,    May,    177. 
Brougham,  John,  131,  132,  187, 

192,    351,    352. 
Brower,   Frank,   249. 
Brown,     Walter     261. 
Brown,    William   Hallam,    52, 
Bruce,   Miriam,   138. 
Bryant,    Dan,    157,    163,    269. 
Bryant,    Neil,    352. 
Bryant,     William     Cullen,     107, 

134. 
Bryant,    W.   T.,   113. 
Brydges,    Castell,    338. 
Bryton,    Frederick,    104. 
Buchanan,   McKean,   186. 
Budworth,   Jim,    260. 
Buffalo   Bill,    110,    352. 
Bulwer,   Mr.,  71,   72. 
Burdette,   Robert  J.,   148. 
Burk,   Major  John  E-,   267. 
Burke,    Master    Joseph,    179. 
Burroughs,    Claude,   328,    329. 
Burton,   William   E-,   187. 
Butler,    Etta,    175. 
Butler,    James    J.,    349. 
Butler,    Robert    W.,    260. 
Byron,    Oliver  Doud,    20. 


Cahn,   Julius,    349. 
Cameron,   William  C,  310. 
Camp,    James    B.,    352. 
Campbell,    Bartley,    110. 
Campbell,   John   C,   57. 
Cannon,    Pete,    159. 
Canoll,    James,    354. 
Carleton,   Will,  34,  48,   63,  159. 

262. 
Carmencita.    175. 


Index. 


373 


Carncross,    J.    L.,    157. 
Carroll,   James,    354. 
Carter,   James,    52. 
Carter,   Mrs.   Leslie,  20. 
Carter,    William,    52. 
Castellan,    Mile.,    195. 
Castlemary,    216. 
Castleton,    Kate,    173. 
Cathcart,   James   F.,    293. 
Cay  van,    Georgia,    129. 
Chamberlyn,   A.    H.,    108. 
Chanfrau,   Frank  S.,   268. 
Chappelle,   w;  J.,  105. 
Chin    Fong,    85. 
Christy,   ii.   P.,   154,  260. 
Christy,    George,    260. 
Clark,    James,    57. 
Clark,    Nellie,    262. 
Clarke,   Annie,    121,    122. 
Clarke,   Corson   W.,   71. 
Clarke,    Creston,    138. 
Clarke,   John   S.,   246,    268. 
Claxton,   Kate,    328,    329. 
Clay,    Anna,    171. 
Clements,   Frank,   340. 
Clements,   M.   J.,   328. 
Cleveland,    President,    353. 
Cleves,   Miss    L.,    328. 
Clifford,    Fdwin,    105. 
Clifton,   Ada,   285. 
Cline,    Emma,    195. 
Cobb,     King,     351. 
Coghlan,  Charles,   135. 
Coghlan,   Rose,   135,   141. 
Cohan,   George  M.,   309. 
Coleman,    Fdward,    115. 
Collins,    Charles   E.,    264. 
CoHyer,   Sam,   267. 
Cone,    Spencer,    149. 
Conly,     Patrick,    355. 
Conn,   C.   G.,   348,   349. 
Conner,   Fdmon  S.,   73. 


Conrad,    Kobert  Taylor,   360. 
Conquest,    Ida,    21. 
Conway,    Mrs.    F.    B.,    180. 
Conway  and  Kerrigan,  263. 
Cooke,  DeWitt,   262. 
Cooke,    George    Frederick,    104. 
Corbett,    Sergeant    Boston,.   23.3. 
Core,  Signor  Bueno,  264. 
Cotton,    Ben,    163. 
Cotton,    Ben.,   Jr.,    113. 
Couldock,    Charles   W.,    116. 
Courtwright,    Billy,    264. 
Crabtree,     iyOtta     (Lotta),     117, 

146. 
Crampton,    Charlotte,    243,    301. 
Crane,    William    H.,     16»     139» 

247,     363. 
Creese,    Lizzie,    167. 
Crisp,   Charles   H.,   349. 
Crosman,   Henrietta,   210. 
Crossley  and   Flder,   268. 
Currie,    James,    338. 
Curtis,  M.  B.,  314. 
Cushman,    Charlotte,     65,      117, 

134,   135,  145,   166,   180,   269, 

297. 
Cushman,    Pauline,   :i99,   300. 

Dalton,    George,    328. 

Daly,  Augustin,  22,  25,  29,  140, 

152,   153,  193,  241,   245,   269, 

315,    337,    363. 
Daly,    Charles   P.,    79. 
Daly,    Chief  Justice,    106. 
Daly,    H.    F.,    328. 
Daly,  Judge  Joseph  F.,   78. 
Daly,   Thomas   A.,    338. 
Damrosch,    Dr.    Leopold,   107. 
Damrosch,     Walter,     130. 
Davenport,     F.     L.,     166,     186, 

187,    192,    193,    293. 
Davenport,  Fdgar  L.,  309. 


374 


Index. 


Davenport,    Fanny,     166,     241, 

242,    269. 
Davey,    Thomas    W.,    18,    105. 

302. 
Davidge,    William,    285,    339. 
Davis,    Charles   Iv.,   110. 
Davis,    Fay,    130. 
Davis,  Jessie  Bartlett,  140,  152. 
Davis,    Kev.    E^dward,    149. 
Davis,   Kichard  Harding,    366. 
Dawson,   Kev.    W.  J.,   148,  149. 
Deemer,   Justice,    182. 
Delano,    Jeppe,    355. 
Delehanty     and     Hengler,     164, 

253,   254. 
Denvil,    Kachael,    171. 
DeKeszke,   Jean,    216. 
DeTry,    Mile.,    195. 
DeVivo,    Diego,    115. 
Devlin,      Mary      (Mrs.      i^dwin 

Booth),   79,   166. 
Diamond,    Charley,    266. 
Dickinson,    Anna,    180. 
Dickson,     Charles,     14. 
Dillea,    Herbert,    321,    322. 
Dixey,    Henry    E„    311. 
Dodson,    J.    £;.,    138. 
Doehne,    Henry,    354. 
Don,    Laura,    294. 
Donnelly,    Thomas,    53. 
Donniker,  John  B.,  113. 
Dougherty,    Hugh,    52,    157. 
Dowling,    Joseph  J.,    312. 
Downing,   D.   L,.,  194,   195. 
Drew,   John,   16,    131,   309. 
Drew,  Mrs.  John,  20,  167,  239. 

240,    242. 
Dryden,   Harry,   113. 
Dunbar,    E.    C,    263. 
Dyas,  Ada,  135. 
l^yllyn,  J.  Bernard,  140,  312. 


Fddy,    Fdward.    52,     104,    186, 

337. 
l^deson,   George  K.,   14,   158. 
£:deson,    Kobert,    14,    15. 
Edouin,    Willie,    311. 
Fd wards,   Henry,    141. 
Eldridge,     Lillie,    70. 
Elliott,  Maxine,   19,   152,  317. 
Ellsler,  John,   105. 
Ellsworth,  Colonel,  290. 
El   Nino,    Eddie,   264. 
Emerick,    George    H.,    110. 
Emerson,   Billy,    112,    164,    256, 

257,    258,    259. 
Emmett,   Dan,   249,    250. 
Emmeit,    J.    K.,    21,    110,    161, 

313. 
Emmett,    William    (Billy),    112, 

267. 
English,   Will  E.,   349. 
Enright,    John   J.,    353. 
Epstean,   Eouis,   355. 
Ethel,  Agnes,   167,    193. 
Evans,    Lizzie,    20. 
Evans,  Thomas,   105. 
Eytinge,    Harry,    104. 

Fairbanks,   Avonia,    184. 
Fales,   Bingley,   353. 
Farren,   Mrs.   328,   329. 
Farrettee,    Signorita,    3  95. 
Fatma,    Sing    Hpoo,    176. 
Faversham,    William,    129. 
Fechter,    Charles,   34,    105,    106, 

131,    186,    187,   188. 
Fenton,   Mabel,   140,  212. 
Field,    Al.    G.,    310. 
Fielding,      John     and      Maggie. 

262. 
Fielding,    May,    152. 
Fish,   Frovost  Marshal,  301. 
Fisher,    Charles,    106,    269. 


Index. 


375 


1^'isk,    Colonel   James,   Jr.,    191, 

192,   193,   194   195,   196,   197, 

198,    200. 
Fiske,   Mrs.   (Minnie  Maddern), 

18,   145. 
Fitch,    Clyde,    138. 
Flagg,    Chaplain,    201, 
Fleming,    James,    355. 
Florence,    Mr.   and   Mrs.    W.  J., 

198.   216. 
Florence,    William  J.,   108,   141, 

242,    313. 
Flynn,   Joe,   312. 
Ford,   John  T.,   350. 
Forepaugh,    Adam,    108. 
Forrest,  Jidwin,   12,   13,   70,  71. 

72,     73,    76.    108,     120,     186, 

268,  286,  287,  289,  290,  291, 

333,   350. 
Forrest,   Mrs.   Edwin,   170,    291. 
Fosberg,   Harold.   324. 
Foster,    Stephen    C,    106,    154, 

155. 
Four    Prophets,    267. 
Fox,    Charles    K.,    109. 
Fox,   George   U,    70,    109,    188, 

240,    301. 
Foy,    Uddie,    320. 
France,  Sid  C,  257. 
Frayne,   Frank,    343. 
French,     Helena    (Mrs.     W.    F. 

Hoey),    176. 
French,    Minnie    (Mrs.    Charles 

E.    Evans),    176. 
Frohman.    Charles,    121,   122. 
Frohman,  Daniel,  153,  310,  317. 
Fulton,    Carrie,    174. 
Furness,    Horace    Howard,     79. 


Gallagher   and   Barrett,   140. 
Gallagher,    William   J.,    355. 


Garwood,   Charles  A.,    106. 

Gaylor,   Bobby.   312. 

Gaynor,    Thomas   G.,    52. 

Giesman,    Mrs.,    48. 

Gilbert,    John,    105,     131,    135, 

140. 
Gilbert,  Mrs.   G.  H.,  132. 
Gilbert,     William,    113. 
Gilday,    Charles,    113. 
Gillette,    William,    17,    225. 
Gilmore,    F.    S.,    338. 
Girard,   Kate,   328. 
Glenn,    James,    50,    52. 
Ghdden,   Charles,   350. 
Godwin,    Tarke,    79l 
Golden,    Grace,    173. 
Goldie,    Claude,   52. 
Goodwin,   Nat  C,  16,  137,  317. 
Golz,   Irma,   344. 
Gough,   John   B.,    151. 
Gould,   Jay,    192. 
Granger,   Maude,   135. 
Grant,    Gen.     U.    S.,    228,    230, 

234. 
Granville,   Gertie,   171. 
Gray,   Ada,    177. 
Gray,   Mark,   359. 
Green,    George    J.,    52. 
Green,    George   W.,    53. 
Greene,   Kev.   Dr.,   151. 
Griffin,    William    G.,    52. 
Grover,    Lieonard,    247. 
Gurr,    xlnrry.    262. 
Guy,    George,    53,    112. 

Hackett,  James  H.,   116,  147. 
Hackett,  James  K.,   17,  129. 
Hall,   A.   Oakey,   195,   352. 
Hall,    Albert,    52,    56. 
Hall,   William  T.    ("Bitt"),    110, 

139,    140,    354. 
Hallam,   l^ewis,   179. 


376 


Index, 


Halleil,   Frederick,   309. 
Hammerstein,    Oscar,    310. 
Ham-Town  Students,   267. 
Hanford,    Charles,    141. 
Hanley,    L,awrence,    141. 
Hanlon    Brothers,    264. 
Hardy,  Madeline,  174,  303,  304. 
Harkins,    Daniel    H.,    109,    214, 

296. 
Harold,     David    E;.,     231,     232. 

234,    235. 
Harrigan,     Edward,     136,     137, 

138,    163,    267,   310,   313. 
Harris,   Henry   U.,  309. 
Harris,   Miss,    228. 
Harris,   Mrs.    William,   173. 
Harris,    William,   121,   310. 
Harrison,   Alice,    257,    264. 
Harrison,   Duncan   J5.,  357. 
Harrison,  Maude,  328. 
Harrison,    W.    B.,    263. 
Hart,    Katie,    174. 
Hart,  Tony,  112,  136,  137,  163, 

176. 
Harte,    Bret,   110. 
Haslam,   Maud,   177. 
Hassett,    Kate,    174. 
Hastings,    Alice,    173. 
Haverly,  J.  H.,  112,  313. 
Hawk,  Harry,  302. 
Hawkins,   l^ew,   140. 
Haworth,    Joseph,      138,      242, 

243,    326. 
Hayes,    Catharine,    289. 
Hayfe,    Lon,    354. 
Hayman,  AI.,  318,   319. 
Haynes,   Minna   Gale,   138. 
Henderson,    William,    313. 
Henglcr,    John    M.,    187. 
Henry,    Hi,    98. 
Henriot,  M^le.,   169. 


Herford,    Beatrice,    130, 
Heme,  James  A.,  12,  150,  238, 

239. 
Heron,    Bijou,    269. 
Heron,   Matilda,    132,   269. 
Herrmann,    Alexander,    236. 
Hibbert,    Louise,     293. 
Hicks,    Charles    C,    186. 
Hill,     Jjitta     Jidmunds,     174. 
Hillard,    Robert    C,    311. 
Hilton,    Prof.,    264. 
Hindle,  Annie,   267. 
Hines,    Wm.    E.,    312. 
Hoey,        William        F.        ("Old 

Hoss"),    108,   217. 
Hoffman,  Frederick,  53. 
Hoffman,    Gov.   John   T.,   195. 
Holland,    George,     25,     26,    29, 

30. 
Holland,    Mrs.,    31. 
Holmes,    Billy,    158. 
Holtum,    Herr,    262. 
Home,   Kev.  John,   148. 
Hooley  and  Campbell,  248,  261. 
Houghton,   Kev.   George  C,  32, 

317. 
Houghton,  Rev.  Dr.  George  H., 

23,    27,   32,   33,    78. 
Howard,     Bronson,     138,     216, 

247. 
Howard,    Carrie,    177. 
Howson,  John,   339. 
Hoyt,    Caroline    Miskel,    176. 
Hoyt,    Charles    H.,    109,    352. 
Hoyt,   Flora   Walsh,   176. 
Hudson,  Leo,  340. 
Hughes,    Archie,    52,    223,    224, 

266. 
Hunter,   Grace,   173. 
Hyde,  Richard,  310. 


Index. 


377 


Irish,   Annie,   138. 

Irving,   Henry,   22,   65,   358. 

Irving,    Isabel,    21,    22. 

Irvini,  Will,  113. 

Itwin,   Flora,   20. 

Irwin,    May,   20. 

Jack,  John,   132. 
Jack,  Sam  T.,  113. 
Jackson,    Stonewall,    175. 
James,  l^ouis,   16,   210,   269. 
Jamieson,    George    W.,   71,   106, 

333. 
Janauschek,    Mme.,    210,    211. 
Jarrett    and    Palmer,    117,    134, 

292. 
Jefferson,    Joseph,    25,    26,    79, 

133,  134,   141,  242,  284,  313, 

317,    368. 
Jennings,  John,  113. 
Jepson,    fjugene  O.,   311. 
Jerome,   Ella,    174. 
Johnson,       President      Andrew, 

234,    235. 
Johnson,    ^^astman,    79. 
Johnston,    Kobert,    293. 
Jones,   Kev.   C.   H.,   148. 
Jones,   George   (Count  Joannes), 

109,    184,    185. 
Jordan,    George,    339, 
Jose,    Richard   J.,    312. 

Kean,   Charles,  104,  215,  334. 
Kean,   iidmund,    104,   215,    284. 
Keene,    l^ura,    132,    168,    230, 

352. 
Keene,   Thomas   W.,   74. 
Kehoe,  Sim,  261. 
Kelcey,   Herbert,   141. 
Kellogg,   Gertrude,   141. 
Kelly  and  i.eon,  248,  253,  254. 


Kelly   and    Violette,    140. 
Kelly,    J^dwin,    263,    254. 
Kelly,  Kev.   Francis  H.,   147. 
Kelly,  James  H.,  112,  355. 
Kelly,  J.   W.,   112,   162. 
Kendall,    Fzra,    16,    367. 
Kent,  John  T.,   49,   52. 
Keough,   William  T.,   310. 
Kemell,   Harry,    112,    217,    296. 
Kernell,   John,    112. 
Kidder,    Kathryn,    21. 
Kimball,    Moses,    122. 
King   Sarbro,   268. 
Kiralfy   Troupe,    34. 
Knight,     George    S.,    103,     135; 

216,    217. 
Knight,  Joseph,  57. 
Knowles,  f;dwin  F.,  110,  239. 
Koehler,   Charles,   141. 
Kynock  and  Smith,  34. 

tracy,   Harry,    311. 
l,amb,    F.,    328. 
Ivancaster,  A.  F-,  31. 
J^ander,  Col.  Frederick  W.,  297. 
Ivander,  Jean  Davenport,   29?. 
l^andis.    Dr.,    183. 
l^ne,  John  A.,   141,  353. 
Ivanghorn,    Frank,    49,    53. 
Ivangtry,    Mrs.,    129. 
i^wrence.    Bishop,    145. 
Ivcbrun,    Addie,    262. 
Lee,   Henry,   311. 
Iveffingwell,   M.    W.,  302. 
l,eggett   and   Allen,    262. 
l^eMoyne,   W.   J.,   301. 
Leon,    Francis,    254. 
Leonard,  Joseph,   52. 
Leslie,    Harry,    268. 
Lester  and  Allen,   265. 
Lester,   Billy,   112. 


37« 


Index, 


J-,evi,   Maurice,   16. 

Levick,  Milnes,  104,   141,  269. 

Levy,  Jules,   194,  195.   263. 

Ircwis,   James,    78,   110,   269. 

Lewis,    Tom,    255. 

Lincoln,     I'resident,     199,     227, 

350. 
Lincoln,    Mrs.,    228. 
Lind,    Jennie,    123,    166,     288, 

289. 
Lingard,  Alice  Dunning,   168. 
Lingard,     James     W.,     52,     56, 

353. 
Lingard,    William    Horace,    267. 
Ling  Look,   268. 
Linton,    Harry,    311. 
Little    Mac.    113,    257. 
Loftus,    Cissy,    22. 
Lothian,   Napier,  Jr.,   79,   108. 
Lothrop,    G.    JS.,   310. 
Lotta,    117,   146. 
Louise,    Mile.,    262, 
Love,  James  H.,   104. 

McAllister,    Faul,   326. 
McAndrews,    J.    W.,    113,    264, 

265. 
McAuley,    Daniel,    347. 
McBride,    Alexander,    355. 
McCaull,    Col.   John  A.,    103. 
McClellan,      Gen.      George     U., 

303. 
McCloskey,   J.   J.,   356. 
McColgan,    James,    355. 
McCullough,  John,  75,  76,  133, 

134,    218,   227,   243. 
McDonald,    George   F.,    48,    60, 

52,    56. 
McDonald,    James,    262. 
McDonald,   Folly,   345. 
McDonald,  Sadie,  176. 


McDowell,  John  G.,  312. 
Mclntyre  and   Heath,    255. 
McManus,   Charles  A.,  339. 
McVicker,    John,    354. 
McVicker,    Mary    F.    (Mrs.    Jtjd- 

win   Booth),   79,    117,    166. 
Macauley,   Barney,   20. 
MacDonough,   Thomas   B.,   303. 
MacKae,  Bruce,   130. 
Macready,    William    C,    71,    72, 

284,    286,    287,    290,    291. 
Maddern,   Lizzie,   18. 
Maddern,   Minnie    (Mrs.    Fiske), 

18. 
Maeder,    Fred,    303. 
Maflin,   A.    W.,    268. 
Mainhall,    Harry,    105. 
Mallory,    Marshall    H.,    313. 
Mallory,   Kev.    Dr.,    147. 
Mannering,    Mary,    129. 
Manning,    Billy,    113,    256,   257, 

258,    259. 
Mansfield,   Richard,  364. 
Mantell,    Robert,    17. 
Maretzek,    Mr.,    192. 
Marlowe,    ^thel,    344. 
Marlowe,    Julia,     18,     19,     130, 

243. 
Marlowe,    Owen,    344. 
Marlowe,    Virginia,    344. 
Martin,    Frank,    105. 
Martin,    Robert   S.,    53. 
Martinetti,    Louis,    113. 
Mason,   Charles  A.,   312. 
Mason,    Henry,    57. 
Mather,     Margaret,     171,      172, 

243,  244. 
Mathews,  John,  328. 
Maxwell,   George  H.,   257. 
May,   Jessie,    171. 
Mayo,   Edwin   F.,    103,    340. 


Index. 


379 


Mayo,   iilla,   176, 

Mayo,  Frank,  VI,  21,   103.  140. 

192,  237,  238,  268. 
Menken,  Ada  Isaacs,   169.    170. 

300. 
Mestayer,    William   A.,    108. 
Miaco,   Tom,    113. 
Milbank,    George,    108. 
Miles,   Colonel,   18. 
Miles,    Young,    263. 
Miller,   Henry,    138. 
Mills,   Harry,   312. 
Miln,  Rev.  George  C,  146. 
Miner,     Henry     C,    108,     296. 

313.     349. 
Mitchell.     Maggie,     145.     269. 
Mitchell.    Mason,    356. 
Modjeska,    Helena,      119,     141. 

340. 
Moe,   Alfred.   264. 
Moliere.   339. 
Monier,    Virginia,    71. 
Monroe,  George  W..  311. 
Montague- West,    Alice,    173. 
Montague,    Henry  J.,    335.   336. 
Montague,    Winnet'ta,    334. 
Montez,    ivola,    171. 
Montgomery.   H.   W.,   328. 
Montgomery,    Walter,    334. 
Moore,   Carrie,   264. 
Moore,    Tom,    155. 
Mora,    Helen,    174. 
Moran,    Frank,    114,    253. 
Morant,    Fanny,    285,    328. 
Mordaunt,     Frank,     141. 
Morlacchi.    Mile.,    111. 
Morris.    Clara,    137.    138,    148, 

193,  243. 
Morris,    Felix.    110. 
Morris,   Phyllis,    177. 
Morrison,    I,ouis,   311. 


Morrissey  and   Fmerson.   34. 
Morse,   isalmi,   118.   119. 
Morton.   Sam.  312. 
Moseley,    Frederick,    312. 
Mould,   J.    Wray,    107. 
Mudd,  Dr.  Samuel  A.,  231,  234, 

235. 
Mulligan,   John,    52,   56,    57. 
Murdoch,    Daisy,    177. 
Murdoch,   H.  S.,   103,  328,  32», 

330. 
Murdoch,    James    F-    104,    186, 

297,   298,   350. 
Murphy,    Joseph,    157. 
Murphy,   Mark,   312. 
Murray,    Flizabeth,    140. 

Nast,  Thomas,   353. 

Neilson,    Adelaide,    168. 

JNeilson,    Alice,    152. 

JSIevers,   L,ouis,    52, 

Newcomb,     Bobby,     114,     163, 

265. 
JNewcomb,    Billy,    265.      ** 
Neyer,    Ernest,    53. 
Nicholai,    George    H.,    310. 
Nickle,    Frof.    Kobert.    262. 
JNixon.    Samuel    S.,    148. 
JNorcross,    Joseph,    53. 
Norton,    Danger,    113. 
Norton,  John  W.,  110. 
Norton,    Nick,    267. 
Nye,    Bill,    106.    352. 

Oberist,   John   F.,   52. 
O'Connor.    James    Owen.    185. 
OXaughlin,    Michael,   234,    235. 
Olympia   yuartet,    267. 
O'Neill,    Henry    P.,    53.    356. 
O'Neill,    Hugh,    52,    356. 
O'Neill,  James.   13,   118,   317. 


38o 


Index, 


Opp,  Julie,   130. 

U'Keardon,    Matt.,    160,    263. 

Ott,    Joseph,    108. 

Owens,  John  E.,  103,  268,  302. 

Faderewski,   366. 

Fage,   H.    C,    196,  334. 

Palmer,    A.     M.,    17,     79,    140, 

310,  313,   315. 
Parker,    Rev.   Dr.,    332. 
Farsloe,   Charles  T.,   115. 
Pastor,     Antonio     (Tony),      53, 

158,   159,  186,  189,  261,  263. 
Pastor,    Billy,    158. 
Pastor,     Fernando     (Dody),     53, 

113. 
Patterson,    Thomas   M.,    350. 
Patti,   Adelina,    127. 
Patti,   Carlo,  302. 
Paull,     William,    108. 
Pawnee    Bill,    353. 
Payne,  John  Howard,  107,   179, 

353.^ 
Payne,^  t,ouis,    234,    235. 
Peakes,   James   G.,    328. 
Peck,   George   W.,    348. 
Pelham,    Dick,    250. 
Perry,   Harry,   285. 
Philip,    Adolph,    127. 
Phillips,  H.  B.,  115,  328. 
Phillips,   Kev.   Forbes,   147. 
Pike,  Samuel  N.,  124,  125,  191. 
Pitt,   Harry   M.,   79,   115. 
Pixley,    Annie,    167. 
Piatt,    E.    M.,    49,   52. 
Plympton,  £;ben,   141,  311. 
Poe,    Edgar  Allan,    107. 
Pomeroy,    t,ouise,    180. 
Pope,   Charles,   353. 
Poole,   John    F.,   53,   313. 
Porter,    Benjamin,    338. 


Porter,    Naomi,    262. 
Potter,    Bishop,    78. 
Potter,    Mrs.,    360,    361. 
Power,  Wm.  H.,  111. 
Power,   Wm.  H.,  Jr.,   111. 
Pratt,  W.  W.,  149. 
Prince   iSadi   d'Jalma,    34. 
Prior,  J.  J.,   339. 
Prior,    Mrs.   J.    J.,    269. 
Prior,   Walter,  196,  334. 
Putnam,    Boyd,    138. 

yueen,    Frank,   108,    152. 
yueen,    John,    53. 

Kachael,    168,    236,    237. 
Rafter,    Adele,    152. 
Ramza,    Frank,    114. 
Randall,    Peter,    312. 
Rapley,    W.    W.,    365. 
Rapp,     Henry,    52. 
Rathbone,    Major,    228,   229. 
Ravel,    Marietta,    264. 
Ray,  Johnny,  361,   362. 
Reed,    Charlie,    113. 
Reed,   Dave,   163. 
Reed,    Florence,    325. 
Reed,    Jennie,    344. 
Reed,    Roland,    108. 
Rehan,    Ada,    20. 
Reignolds,     Kate,    122. 
Remenyi,    Edouard,    115,    335. 
Rhea,    Mile.,    340. 
Rice,    Billy,     112. 
Rice,  Dan,  150,  299,  349. 
Rice,   John,    113. 
Rice,    John    B.,    349. 
Rice,    T.    D.,    249. 
Rich,  Isaac   B.,   121. 
Richings,    Peter,   303,    'i'^^. 


Index. 


381 


Kiggs,   T.    Grattan.    48,    60,    62, 

56,   110. 
Kigl    Sisters    34. 
Ring,    Blanche,    138. 
Ritchie,  Adele,    138. 
Robinson,    John,    85. 
Robson,    Stuart,    12,    110,    185, 

246. 
Rockafellar,    G«orge,    52. 
Rogers,   Benjamin   G.,    115. 
Rooney,    Fat,    112.    15y,    336. 
Roosevelt,    President,    356. 
Rosa,    Patti,   174. 
Rosecrans,    General,    299. 
Roselle,    Master    Percy,    132. 
Ross,  Charles  J.,  140,  212,  213, 

309. 
Rousseau,    General,    298. 
Russell,    l^illian,    152. 
Russell,     Sol     Smith,     12,     103, 

244,     245,     246. 
Ryan,    Sam  J.,   256. 
Ryman,  Add,  189,   1»0. 

Salsbury,    Nate,   296. 
Salvini,  Alexander,   21. 
Sanderson,    Sibyl,    169. 
Sanford,    Jim,    113. 
Sargent,    H.    J.,    34. 
Savan,    Charles,    312. 
Scanlan,   Sadie,   171. 
Scanlan,    William   J.,    108,    160. 

219,    220. 
Schmitz,    Eugene    li.,    355. 
Schoolcraft,    J^uke,    302. 
Schroeder,    Mayor,    332. 
Seaman,   Julia,    180. 
Searle,    Cyril,   311. 
Searle,   Louise,    177. 
Seward,    Secretary,    230. 
Seymour,   Mrs.    t,.   E.,  328. 


Seymour,    Nelse,    56,    113,    1«9. 
Seymour,     William,    122. 
Shannon,    John,    53. 
Sharpe,    Louis,    303. 
Sharpe,    Tom,    254. 
Sharpley,    Sam,    254. 
Shattuck,    Charles    F.,    52. 
J>hattuck,  Otis,  309. 
Shea,    Rev.    L.    W.,    148. 
Shean,   Rev.    William   B.,   150. 
Shelby,    Dan,    338. 
Sheppard,    William,    48,    50,    52. 
Sheridan  and   Mack,   266. 
Sheridan,    General,   304. 
Sheridan,   William  £;.,  110,  196. 
Sherlock,    £;.    T.,    302. 
Shinn,    Rev.     Dr.     George     W., 

145. 
Scott-Siddons,  Mary,  167. 
Sidman,    Arthur,    109. 
Sidney,    George,    311. 
Sinn,    Col.    Wuiiam   JE.,    14,    16, 

245,   313,    342. 
Sinn,   Walter  L.,  103. 
Skinner,    Otis,    17,    311. 
Slavin,    Bob,    113. 
Smaun,    176. 

Smith  and   Waldron,  266. 
Smith,   Dexter,    121. 
Smith,    Helene,   262. 
Smith,    Hubbard   Taylor,    357. 
Smith,    Mark,    104,    187,    302, 

336. 
Smith,    William    H.,    52. 
Sothern,    Ldward  A.,    104,   110. 
Sothern,    lidward    M.,    17,    130, 

322. 
Sousa,  John  Philip,  325. 
Spangler,    £:dward,    234,    235. 
Speaight,  James  G.,   337. 
Spears,    Robert,    52. 


382 


Index, 


stair,    E.    D.,    310. 

Stanwood,   Harry,   52. 

Stark,    James,    186. 

Stebbms,   Henry  G.,   107. 

Steirly,    Kichard,    49,    53. 

Stephens,    Hal.,    311. 

Sterger,    Kev.    A.    F.,    147,    148. 

Stevens,    Emma    Maddern,    174. 

Stevenson,    Charles   A.,    135. 

Stewart,   Colonel,   229. 

Stewart,    Grant,    130. 

St.    Felix,    Leonora,    174. 
Stoddart,  James  H.,   347. 
Stowe,    Emily,    171. 
Stromberg,    John,    109. 
Siruthers,   K.,   328. 
Studley,  J.   B.,   328.   330. 
Sullivan,    Uarry,   186,    284,   285, 

286,    292,    293,    294,    295. 
Sullivan,   Mark,   309. 
Sullivan,    Timothy    D.,    349. 
Surratt,    Mary   F.,    234,    235. 
Sutherland,      Kev.      James      M. 

(Eob  Hart),  151. 
Sweet,  F.  B.,  351. 
Sykes,   Jerome,    109. 

Tabor,   H.   A.    W.,   34Y. 

Tanner,    Cora,    14. 

Tayleure,    Clifton   W.,    192. 

Taylor,   Robert,   348. 

Texas,  Jack  (J,  B.  Omohundro), 

110,    111. 
Thoman,   JacoD   W.,    109. 
Thomas,  Augustus,  138. 
Thomas,   Theodore,    16. 
Thompson,   Fanchon,    152. 
Thompson,   George    W.,   50,   52, 

56,     104. 
Thompson,     Johnny,    126,     127, 

128,    263. 


Thompson,   Eysander,   116,  328. 
Thompson,   Walter  E.,  354. 
Thorne,    Charles    K.,    Jr.,    241, 

328. 
Tooker,   Joseph   H.,   355. 
Tostee,   Mile.,   193. 
Tournour,    Millie,    262. 
Tuck,    Samuel,    310. 
Turner,    Allie,    263. 

Underbill,  Kev.  Dr.  A.  F.,  138, 
148. 

Van,   Billy  B.,  312. 

Vance,  Elmer  E.,  310. 

Vanderfelt,   E.   H.,   141. 

Vandenhotf,   George,   132. 

Vandemark,   Henry,   48,   50,   52. 

Vanness,  John  W.,  52. 

Van    Studdiford,    Grace,    152. 

Varian,   JSlina,   167. 

Verne,    Emma,    170. 

Vernon,    Ida.,    328. 

Vincent,   Mrs.   J.   K.,    121,    122, 

136. 
Vincent,   Warden,   85. 
Vivian,   Charles  A.,   34,   48,   51, 

113,    159. 
Vogel,   John   W.,    310. 
Vokes,  Harry,   312,   367. 
Vokes,    Kosina,    22. 
VonBehren,  Annie,   343. 
VonBoyle,   Ackland,    147. 
VonKokoy,    Irma,    174. 

Waldron,    Martha,    138. 
Wallack,    J.    W.,    Jr.,    71,    269, 

333. 
Wallack,    Eester,    25,    108,    135, 

140,    313,   315,   323. 
Walsh,    Blanche,    19,    324,    325. 


Index, 


3«3 


Waltz,    Fred,    157. 

Wambold,  Dave,   113,  158,  252, 

253. 
Wannemacher,    Henry,    111. 
Ward,   Artemus,    106. 
Ward,    Happy,    312,   367. 
Ward,   J.    g.   A.,   i06. 
Ward,  J.    VV.,   34. 
Warde,     Frederick,     150,     151, 

293,    310. 
Warlield,  David,    13. 
Warner,    A.    K.,    310. 
Warren,      William,      104,      121, 

122,    133,   134. 
Watkins,    Harry,    115. 
Weeks,    Charles,    149. 
Weiss,   Kev.  John,   149. 
Welch,  Charles,  355. 
Wells,  Heber,  347,  348. 
Werner,   Mrs.,    21. 
West,  J.    Koyer,    312. 
West,    William    H.,    112. 
Western,    Helen,    166. 
Western,      t,ucille,      166,      269, 

342,    343. 
Whallen,   John,    354. 
Wheeler,    Eernice,    167. 
Wheeler,     James,     114. 
Wheelock,      Joseph,     141,     294, 

311. 
White,  Charles  O.,  109. 
White,    Cool,   53. 
White,     Cotton     and     Sharpley, 

248. 


White,  Forter  J.,  309. 

Whitlock,    Billy,    249,   250. 

Wild,   John,    111,    267. 

Willard,   Ji.    S.,    19. 

Williams,    Gus,    34,    161. 

Williams,   Johnny,    267, 

Williams,    Mortimer,     263. 

Williams,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Bar- 
ney,   268. 

Williams,    Udell,    110. 

Williamson,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  J. 
C,    135. 

Willis,    Oscar,    34. 

Wills,   Nat  M.,  311. 

Wilson,  George  W.,  79,  122. 

Wilson,   Tommy,    85. 

Wilton,   £;ilie,   171. 

Wilton,   John   G.,    49,    52. 

Winner,   Septimus,   303. 

Wirz,    Captain,    235. 

Witmark,   A.    S.,    138. 

Wolfe,    Dorothy,    171. 

Wood,    Charles    Winter,   181. 

Wood,'  Henry,    260. 

VVyndham,    Charles,    298. 

Yeamans,    Mrs.   Annie,   138. 
Yeamans,    Jennie,    70. 
Young,   Charles   W.,  312. 
Young,   Eliza,   177. 

Zebold,    George,    114. 


UNIVERSITY  OF  r^TT^ 

This  bo  JkrDUE  t  JrT  ''''"'*  '^"°'^«'- 


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